good morning. breaking point. president obama demands action from congress to fix the nation's health care system in a fiery pretime speech. >> the time for bickering is over. the time for games has passed. >> a msage being somewhat overshadowed by the republican congressman who shouted directly at the president during that address. >> the reforms i am proposing would not apply to those who are here illegally. >> why?

>> that's not true. >> this morning reaction from vice president joe biden and republican senator john mccain. "idol" stunner. talk show host ellen degeneres announces she is the new fourth judge on "american idol." is she the right choice to replace paula abdul? and the blue man is back. we introduce you to paul karason and his blue skin a year and a half ago. a lot has changed sce then, but has the color of his skin? we'll find out in a live interview with him today, thursday, september 10th, 2009. captions paid for by nbc-universal television and welcome to "today" on this thursday morning. i'm meredith vieira. >> and i'm matt lauer. all summer long we witnessed

outbursts as lawmakers held foru on health care reform across the country, so we're used to that. but you do not often see emotions boil over when a president of the united states is addressing a joint session of congress. >> and you saw it last night, that outburst came from joe wilson, a republican from south carolina, who shouted "you lie" as the president spoke. he has since apologized but now some lawmakers want to see him punished. much more on that just ahead. and importantly, we'll get into the specifics of president obama's message, was he telling the truth, and where is the money to cover t $900 billion price tag for health care reform going to come from? we'll ask vice president joe biden and senator john mccain to talk about that. al ahead, a warning that every parent of a young driver will want tosee. there's something that a third of teen drivers admit to doing on a regular basis. experts say it is more deadly than drunk driving. we'll get into that coming up. but let us begin with president obama's speech and the outburst that has a lot of people in washington buzzing this morning. nbc's savannah guthrie standing

by at the white house. savannah, good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning, matt. a senior aide called this the biggest arrow in the presidential quiver, the joint address to congress. and the white house hopes it's a game changer. but there was at least one surprise when a republican congressman interrupted the president's speech to accuse him of lying. >> i'm not the first president to take up this cause, but i am determined to be the last. >> reporter: the president wen to congress to make an impassioned case for health care reform. >> the time for bickering is over. the time for games has passed. now is the season for action. >> reporter: but even on capitol hill, the emotion of the health ca debate led to a rare and raw outburst, a congressman heckling the president, accusing him lying. >> the reforms -- the reforms i am proposing would not apply to those who are here illegally. >> you lie!

>> that's not true. >> reporter: the shouting came from republican ngressman joe wilson of south carolina who, hours after the speech, issued an apology, saying his emotions got the best of him. my comments were inappropriate and regrettable, he said. i extend sincere apologies to the president for this lack of civility. >> special interests use the same -- >> reporter: with the stas high, the president was clearly on offense. >> if you misrepresent what's in this plan, we will call you out. >> reporter: and took a not-so-veiled swipe at former alaska governor sarah palin who claims the president wants to create death panels. >> such a charge would be laughable if it weren't so cynical and irresponsible. it is a lie plain and simple. >> reporter: as promised, the president laid out his plan for reform in greater detail than ever before. a proposal that would cost $900 billion over ten years, that he says won't add to the deficit. a new requirement that all

individuals buy health insurance with subsidies for those who can't afford it. and insurance reforms such as a ban on coverage denials for preexisting conditions. but the president drew an unintentional laugh for stating the obvious. >> while there remains some significant details to be ironed out, i believe -- >> reporter: there are still big disagreements even in his own party over whether government insurance, the so-called public option, should be part of the plan. >> we should remain open to other ideas that accomplish our ultimate goal. >> reporter: the president ended with a call for bipartisanship, singling out republicans by name as he invoked former senator ted kennedy. >> his friend john mccain knows that. they worked together on a patient's bill of rights. >> reporter: who sat with his wife, vickie, with tears in her eyes. >> i believe here and now we will meet history's test because that is who we are.

that is our calling. that is our casualty. >> reporter: well, congressman joe wilson called the white house last night to apologize. chief of staff rahm emanuel accepted the apology on behalf ofhe president. what happens next for health care? well, the prident is going to take this sales pitch on the road starting this weekend in minnesota. meredith? >> savannah guthrie, thank you very much. vice president joe biden is with us now. mr. vice president, good morning to you. >> hey, meredith, how are you? >> i'm great, thank you. so the president goes to capitol hill last night to make his best case for health care reform to stop the bickering, as he put it, and bring both sides together. but moments after that speech, people like senator mccain -- and we're going to here from him in just a moment -- called it partisan. so i'm asking you, what specifically did the president say last night that he hasn't said before that is really going to change minds? >> well, i guess the most important thing you pointed out, meredith, is that this isn't a choice of doing nothing.

we have to do something to significantly reform the insurance industry and the health care industry. and health care in america. >> but he said that before. >> and he laid out -- no -- well, he was very specific, you know. he laid out exactly what was -- what would happen. it would provide more stability and more certainty for those who have health insurance. they wouldn't have to give it up. he laid out how they'd be protected against the way insurance companies function now. you wouldn't able to be denied insurance because of a preexisting condition. you wouldn't be forced in bankruptcy in cases where you already had insurance, and those who did not have insurance now would be able to provide and be able to have access to affordable health insurance. but i think the most important thing he did was, he also debunked a lot of the myths out there. you know, the idea of death panels, and this is going to insure undocumented aliens, et cetera. and the last thing he did, he pointed out, which is absolutely true, that 85% of what he's laid

out has already been agreed to by the committees in the congress, four of the five, and the fifth is going to make their final judgme within the next ten days. so there's an awful lot of agreement here. the details are real. he laid out details, but there's details that have to be worked out. >> yeah -- >> that's the process. >> and one -- >> that's the process. >> onef the biggest stumbling blocks seems to be this public option, government-run insurance. and the three republican senators part of that so-called gang of six that is trying to reach a compromise bill, they all said essentially the same thing, that the president squandered an opportunity by not taking that off the table, that had he done that, there could have been some bipartisanship here. did he squander an opportunity, mr. vice president? >> look, no, i don't think he did at all. what he said was, he laid out the underlying principle as to why there is a need for a public option. and i wrote it down. he said, he will not yield on the basic principle of americans can't find affordable coverage, we'll provide you with a choice. for you, that's what the public

option is. if there's nothing way to do that, if there's another way to do that through a trigger which is offered by one of our republican colleagues or other means by which to make sure, to make sure that people who do not have access to affordable health insurance because there is no competition, they can get it. if you figure that out, that principle, whatever you call it, he's prepared to listen to the congressional approach. if it's different than what he's proposing. he did not take anything off the table. >> so is he saying, then, because he did say he's open to other ideas. is he saying if someone comes up with sometng better, he is willing to sign a bill that does not have a public option in it? >> he is willing to sign a bill, any bill, by wtever mechanism you call it that, in fact, guarantees that there is a choice for people that's affordable. now, if you do that by some means by which you have a trigger or you -- we think the

public option is competitive. we think the public option does notake -- it's not government control, et cetera, but it is privaty run. it would have to be paid for by its own premiums just like the way insurance companies work. but if they have a better idea how to accomplish that principle, we'rerepared to listen to it. >> mr. vice pridest, let's talk about that urtboustid by representast jlsoe wienon. he has apologized for calling the president a liar, but it does spe to the level of emotion that is out there. we saw a lot of it during those summer town hall meetings. you know the workings of congress better than most people. how do you possibly reach consensus with so much rancor? what would you say to somebody like a joe wilson? >> well, i would say joe, you embarrassed an institution i love. anyou realized it and you tol iz , aept the apology. but you know the real message, i think, meredith out there was your next guest, johnccain and the republican leadership. what did they do? they immediately, immediately stepped away from joe's outburst

and indicated that apology was offered. i thin what you saw last night is an exception to the rule. the rule is that the congress is prepared, it is not divided like in the emotional way in which joe wilson's outburst indicates. it is divided on some of the details of how to get about th. that's legitimate. it's real. we'll fight that out in the next several weeks. but i saw unity in the congress in terms of the response to joe wilson's demeaning comment not only to the president but to an institution i love. >> at the end of the day, mr. vice president, we will have a bill by december? or january? >> you will have a bill. i believe we will have a bill. i've been in congress a long, long time, i've been there for eight presidents. i think we'll have a bill before thanksgiving. >> all right. optimistic. vice president joe biden, thank you very much. >> thank you. >> tit is 7:11. republican senator john mccain got his owntanding

ovation during president obama's address. senator, good to see you. good morning. >> good morning, matt. always nice to have a standing ovation. >> exactly right, whenever you can get one. i don't want to talk about whether joe wilson was rht or wrong. people have already said he's wrong. he's apologized, let's move on. but i want to ask you whether what he said was correct. the outburst came as part of the speech where president obama was talking about illegal immigrants, and he said, "the reforms i am proposing would not apply to those who are here illegally." that's when joe wilson said, "you lie!" soo the reforms that president obama is proposing cover illegal immigrants, or do they not? >> they do not. everything that i've seen, they do not. and it changes the number of the uninsured in america down to about 30 million instead of the 47 million or so that they talked about before. they do not as far as i can see, nor should they. >> fact or fiction? let's continue with this because you're good at sorting this out. there was a part of the speech where the president made a veiled reference to your former running mate, sarah palin.

it was during the part of the speech where he was trying to debunk this whole notion of death panels that would decide life-or-death issues for seniors and others. and he said, "they do not exist. it is a lie, plain and simple." so let me ask you again, fact or fiction? does the president's plan create anything resembling what is a so-called death panel? >> no, but there is a $500 billion, quote, savings in medicare that is called for which has seniors concerned. and in other countries, when they cut back on spending on health care, and health care is rationed. and similar things have happened. americans are concerned about that. they have a right to be concerned about it. they have $500 billion in, quote, savings without any meaningful medical malpractice reform. by the way, the president said a couple of demonstration projects, that doesn't get it. we all know we need medical malpractice reform.

>> the president said, "my plan does three very basic things. it provides security and stability to those people who currently have insurance. it gets insurance to people who do not have insurance. and it curbs costs." does the plan accomplish those three things? >> it certainly does not curb costs according to the congressional budget office, it's going to be an additional $1 trillion, and i have y to see any real, meaningful reductions in costs. in fact, the congressional budget office said there will be cost increases. it does not, quote, bend the curve. second of all, if the president keeps saying, if you like your health insurance policy, you can keep it, well, if the government option is adopted by an employer and you are having employer-provided insurance, then you're not going to be able to keep it. so that's false also. it's certainly not accurate. >> let me move on. the president says paying for it, he says $1 trilon, he said it going to be $900 billion. that's $100 million between friends, i guess you can say

that. but he said it will not add to the federal deficit now or in the future. and he said that if the savings he is promising are not realized, he will handle that by additionalpending ts. does the president's logic and math add up, in your opinion? >> the math doesn't add up, and the record doesn't add up. we've now gone from a $7 trillion deficit to a $9 trillion deficit just in the last few weeks over a ten-year period. there is very little, if anything, in this package that calls for real spending reductio, and $1 trillion is basically what it's going to cost. and that's according to the congreional budget office. and finally, since the president has not argued against any of these pork barrel projects as he said he would, spending his way up over last year and earmarking and pork barrelling company, his record doesn't indicate any fiscal discipline. >> so last night in the room when he said there were still

details to be worked out because people realize that they're not just details, there are major divisions here. and in the republican response to his speech, representative bustani said we should start from scratch. we should start the process over. is that really what needs to happen? >> i think in some respects. certainly in the respect that maybe we ought to really be bipartisan. the president and the vice president just mentioned that it's gone through four of the five committees without a single republican negotiator in the room. there has been no bipartisanship in addressing the health care issue. i've been in bipartisan negotiations. i know what they are. it has been totally absent from the addressing of this issue. so maybe we ought to start from scratch to really sit down and negotiate, which we haven't done. facts are stubborn things. >> five seconds left. when vice present biden said to meredith justnow, we will have a bill, your response is? >> well, i hope so. i really hope so. there are a number of areas we strongly agree on. it's good for america. we need to do it, but it has to

be truly bipartisan and cannot lay another $1 trillion of debt on our next generation of americans whore committing generatial theft, matt. >> senator john mccain. senator, always good to have you here. thanks for your tim. >> thanks for having me on. >> i don't know if we're closer or further away after all that. a lot of stuff. let's get a check of the rest of the morning's top storiefrom ann curry at the news desk. morning to you, ann. >> meredith and matt, good morning. also in the news today, in a residential area, a truck bomb exploded in northern iraq, an area known to have ethnic fighting. at least 20 people died, and 30 others were wounded with many people still missing and feared trapped under flattened homes. a second tru bomb was later scovered but was defused, and separate bombings near baghdad killed at least four people today. a bolivian man is in custody in mexico city after police say he brief hi hijacked a plane flying from cancun and claimed he had a bomb. he was arrested after police stormed the plane. the man said he wanted to warn

mexico's president about an impending earthquake. congress holds more hearings on the securities and exchange commission today and why it did not know about bernie madoff's massive fraud scheme for more than ten years. on wednesday, officials released audiotape of a phone call in 2005 in which madoff coached a potential witness about fooling the s.e.c. >> you don'tave to be too brilliant with these guys, because you don't have to be. you're not supposed to have that knowledge and, you know, you wind up saying something which is either wrong or, you know, it's just not something you have to do. >> madoff is now serving 150 years in prison. overseasarkets are higher after some news from the federal reserve about the u.s. economy. cnbc's melissa lee is at the new york stock exchange. just how encouraging is this news? >> it was cautiously optimistic, ann. called the bge book and it showed flat retail sales and a

weak labor market underscoring concerns about a u.s wk consumer. ann, we'll learn much more about the econy in a cnbc special, "banking ongeithner," ageithner hall event with the treasury secretary who will field questions from viewers across the country. so please do join my colleagues, erin burnett and steve liesman tonight, 7:00 p.m. eastern time, only on cnbc. >> melissa lee this morning. melissa, thank you. scientists say they are giddy about the new photographs just in from the newly refurbished hubble telespe showing a galaxy some 6 million light years away. a butterfly nebula which is a dying star with gases drifting off into space. and this rare sight othe earliest beginning of a star, clouds of gas and dust. beautiful. and the cinderella for american melanie oudin has ended despite her stunning win over three players including two former u.s. open champions. she lost last night to a teenager from denmark, 6-2, 6-2 in thequarterfinals.

still oudin just 17 years old herself called the tournament a great run. i'll say. it is now 7:19. let's turn back to meredith, matt and al. she's got a whole new future back. >> she'll definitely be back many, many times. >> al is here, actually. a voice floating from a distance. >> yes, that's me. jujust call me the floater. let's take a look, show you what's going on as far as your weather's concerned. slow-moving low-pressure system yscause this high pressure up over new england just won't let it get up here. so we'll have coastal flood warnings, dangerous rip currents. 9 to 13-foot seas. rainfall right now, not too bad, but it is going to increase as the system makes its way up the shoreline. we're talking some areas picking up three to five inches of/#/#/# up to an inch of rain around the washington metro area by later on this afternoon and overnight tonight. right now, widely scattered light showers. one here in northwest washington. a couple up in frederick county and here in southern maryland.

these are all heading off to the west out of the east on a rather blustery wind. temperatures in the 60s around theç region. a gale warning out it's an excitin you know why.. knowyo why. because tonight, that's right. the nfl season kicks off. world champion pittsburgh steelers taking on the tennessee titans. nbc's coverage starts 8:00 p.m.! it's a kickoff special only on nbc. cloudy, temperatures 62 to 66. light winds. that means just ahead, it's not too far from "sunday night football nht in america!" get ready, meredith. >> i missed you, al. the floater. just ahead, is the blue man's skin still blue?

he is here for an exclusive live interview. plus, ellen degeneres, the new judge on "american idol." the latest ahead. but first, this is "today" on nbc.

trend among young drivers that can be more lethal than drinking and driving. plus a live interview with the blue man after your local news.

good morning. it is 7:26. we have breaking traffic news. let's go straight to jerry edwards in the "news 4 traffic network" with the latest. terrible morning for commuters. 95 southbound, as you make the ! fris, had been completely closed because of a tractor-trailer fire as you can see from these live pictures, two left lanes will get by. however, southbound 95 is jammed. route 1, unfortunately, not a very good alternate. a live picture.

chopper 4 over the scene. tow truck is on the scene. you want to avoid 95 southbound in that area. eun? a man has been arrested after a deadly crash on route 7 in leesburg. it happened early this morning in the westbound lanes. police say a car side swiped the back of a dump truck killing a female passenger. the driver ran away from hisç n car. officers say he was arrestedn the eastbound lanes about a block away trying to hitchhi.ke he

a few scattered showers on the eastern shore and northwest

washington. throughout the rest of the day, remaining cloudy. a likelihood of afternoon and evening showers. maybe an inch of rain by dawn on friday. eun? thank çyou, tom. tonight on "news 4 at 5:00," college life isn't complete without pizza. local businesses a

7:30 now on a thursday morning. it's the 10th day of september, 2009. want to know why they say labor day is the unofficial end of summer? just come to new york. a chilly 60 degrees to start the morning in rockefeller plaza. mother nature. >> i don't know. she knows everything. >> it's amazing. >> because she's a she. just putting it out there. >> thank you, helen reddy. i'm matt lauer alongside meredith vieira. just ahead, we'll check in with

an unforgettable guest, paul karason, whose skin turned blue. he was here about a year and a half ago. the question, is paul still blue? we'll find out in just a moment. also ahead, we hear a lot about the dangers of drinking or texting while driving but there's another danger that's just as deadly. more than one-third of teens say they do it on a regular basis. what every parent needs to hear coming up. but we'll begin with that stunning news that ellen degeneres will become the new full-te judge on "american idol." "today" national correspondent natalie morales here with the big news. >> it is big news. ever since paula abdul announced last month she was leaving the show, fans have wondered what "idol" was going to do next. when season nine gets under way, ellen will be sitting right alongside ran, simon and kara. >> i got the okay to announce this to you today. oh, god.

i am going to be the new judge on "american idol." >> reporter: cheers from the studio audience and a hug from her resident deejay, tony, ellen degeneres first broke the news wednesday during a taping of her daytime talk show that viewers will see today. >> i have not missed one episode of that show. i've watched every single thing. i love everything about it. from "american idol," please welcome randy jackson! paula abdul. simon cowell. kara dioguardi. >> reporter: ellen has talked to all the show's judges. >> it premieres tonight which is so, so great for a lot of us that have just been waiting. we just wait for january. >> reporter: now ellen is officially one of them, replacing paula abdul. >> it's not the obvis choice, but i do think it actually could work. ellen degeneres has all of the charm and sweetness of paula abdul but without the loopiness. >> oh, my god, i said the same thing twice. >> reporter: paula made headlines over a contract dispute reportedly demanding $10 million a year to stay on the show, demands that were not met

paving the way for ellen. >> "idol gives back." >> reporter: this will be ellen's first time on "idol." she has appeared twice on "idol gives back," a special charity show benefiting various causes. and just this summer she guest hosted on another fox reality show, "so you think you can dance," even dancing with some of the contestants on her own show. ♪ but one thing that critics may point to is ellen's lack of music industry experience. something that all previous "idol" judges have had and something ellen herself addresses on her show today. >> i'm not looking at it in a critical way from the music producer's mind. i'm looking at it as a person who's going to buy the music and who's going to relate to that person. so i'm hopefully going to be that voice of what we're all doing at home. >> reporter: fox says ellen will appearn "idol" after the audition shows air. and by the way, fans of "idol," of course, of her talk show don't need to worry as well. ellen says she'll be keeping her day job, so she's going to be

doing both jobs at the same time. >> that's exciting. >> i'm a fan, i think she's going to do great. i think she's fantastic. you'll get a little comedic humor there. >> i was surprised because i thought at the 11th hour they were going to bring paula out and say all is forgiven, all is fine. >> i think a lot of people were holding out that hope. i think ellen's a good choice. >> i think paula's made a mistake. anyway, ellen's going to be great. we love her. >> we wish them bo well. let us get a check of the weather now with al. >> thanks, guys. elen is going to be terrific on the show, absolutely. you've got wedding bells for paul and stacy? who's that? >> paul's my son. he's 42. and this is his first marriage, so we're very cited. >> only marriage. >> only merge. >> phil jones, longtime cbs correspondent. >> 32 years. thank you very much. >> oo tad there's not morning nohaun tceton t.ouldont. anyway, let's take a look, show you what's going on. ou'veyghgotey rough drought

going on in texas. i mean,re extme to exceptional drought throh central texas. good news is, there seeg some rain, and the bette news is, it's going to last on into th weekend. rainfall, some areas picking up about one to two incheso#o# cloudy, blustery this morning and cool, only in the 60s. radar showing areas of blue getting some widely scattered showers on the easternç shore. southern maryland, northern neck. here in northwest washington, one shower in frederick county. the rest of the day, mostly cloudy. highs only near 70. the winds will be gusting to 25, 30 miles an hour, higher around the bay. a gale warning. up to an inch and where you from? >> i'm from wiswisconsin. >> all right. good to see you. thanks for coming down. now in to matt.

for about the past decade, 58-year-old paul karason's skin has been blue. it's a side effect of his use of the substance colloidal silver to treat a skin condition. we'll find o if he's still blue in just a moment. first, here's our first visit with paul about a year and a half ago. ♪ i'm blue >> you were a bit reclusive before this. has it helped to talk about this? have people started to treat you differently, get more people coming up to you on the street or fewer people? >> i'm drawing these little crowds everywhere i go. >> how does that feel? >> it feels pretty good. i mean, the people are very positive. very friendly. >> reporter: but after our medical editor, dr. nancy snyderman, raised some concerns about his health, paul agreed to a physical. we took him to st. luke's hospital where he had a standd checkup. so how did it go for you in terms of the actual process? were you happy with the checkup? >> oh, yeah. yeah.

the pple were very professionalnd efficient. and the results were very good. >> we liked the doctor, too. >> st. luke's roosevelt hospital in new york, here's what the doctor had to say. heart, lung and abdominal exams, they were within the normal limits. in terms of your bloodwork, he said it included blood cell count, kidney and liver functions. all tests were within t normal limits. that sounds good, right? >> mm-hmm. >> reporter: and with a clean bill of health, paul had some time to enjoy the sights of new york city. and paul is joining us again exclusively. paul, good morning to you. nice to see you. >> goodmorning, matt. >> so let's show people, are you still blue? yes, indeed. yes, indeed. any change at all? >> it's lightened up. >> has it? you notice a major difference? because i don't see you that often. >> i don't know if it's major but it's lightened up. i'm anxious to try green.

>> all the colors of the rain w rainbow? i want to mention something, it's been a tough year for you since we last visited with you healthwise. >> yes, there's been some problems. >> take me through that, and this is not related to your skin, but take me through what's been going on. >> i had a blocked artery that required stents being put in place. and prostate canc. >> you were treated for that? >> oh, that was a thrill. >> yeah. how you doing with that now? >> well, my numbers are -- my psa numbers are way down now. sopresumably, that's a good thin >> knock on wood. we'll keep our fingers crossed. you've also made changes in your life. you had moved from washington to california. and i think you told me that one of the reasons was that you thought that people in california were a little more accepting? >> they were. >> but then you picked up and moved back. >> but i moved from bend, oregon. >> okay, right. and now where are you living? >> i'm living in bellgham,

washington. >> and how is it going there? what's the change been like for you? >> you can actually get health care up there. >> you had a problem with health care in california? >> oh, yeah, yeah. get one part in place, and no sooner do you do that, and the other leg goes away. >> goes away. you made some other changes in your life. you were engaged last time you were here. not engaged anymore. >> maybe not aofficially. >> okay. i'm going to leave that where it is. you still taking coloital silver? >> very seldom. >> why don't you just stop completely? >> it's become difficult for me to make my own, and my resources are limited, and it can be very expensive. >> cutting back. >> yeah. >> one of the things you said to me, and i've heard from others is thatome of the exposure

you've gotten as a result of being on this show and other places has, "a," created more acceptance for you, more people when they see you, they come up and put the hand on you and they're not afraid of you, but also you've come out of your shell a little bit. >> well, i didn't have much choice. i couldn't find the cave i was looking for. >> you couldn't go hide yourself away? >> yeah. >> yeah? but are you finding that people, when they come up to you, are more accepting, and do they talk to you, and are they curious? >> absolutely. everywhere i go. and pretty much every day at least once. >> and if you look back, paul, and if you had known then what you know nowbout what the coloital silver would do to your skin tone, would you still have done i >> i doubt it. it's not green, after all. >> yeah. most importantly, i hope your health situation continues to stay in a positive area. >> well, i have a very good primary care physician, best

doctor i've ever had. >> good. >> and he puts me -- he gives me referrals to people who are just the best in the field. washington, particularly bellingham, has a medical community that's absolutely outstanding. >> that's the place for you to be. i hope things continue on a positive side medically and personally and everything else. and it's good to see you again. >> i wish the same for you, too, matt. >> thank you, paul. i appreciate it. good to see you again. and we're going to have much more ahead including the danger facing some young drivers that can be more deadly than driving while drinking. important information for the entire family right after this.

back at 7:44 this morning on "today investigates," a serious hazard facing young drivers that is often overlooked. nbc senior investigative correspondent lisa myers is in bethesda, maryland, with details. good morning, lisa. >> reporter: good morning, meredith. we're talking about driving while tired. we've all done it. but experts say it's particularly dangerous for teens. fatigue is a factor in at least 100,000 crashes every year. and most of those involve young drivers who get behind the wheel when they're drowsy and never make it home. >> i sit down and replay that

night over and over and over again. and i thought, i'm just so close to home. i can make it. >> reporter: that night rusty burris was 18 years old with a bright future. but driving home from his girlfriend's house, his life changed forever. >> i knew i was tired. but i didn't really feel that i was that tired. and driving home, i got just a mile from home and fell asleep at the wheel. >> reporter: in seconds rusty's car drifted off this country road and rolled over. th impact crushed his roof and his spine. rusty would never walk again. >> i had fallen asleep and crashed my car one time. and that's all it took. >> reporter: experts say every day millions of teens are dangerously tired when they get behind the wheel. more than one-third of teens say they drive drowsy on a regular basis. and more than half of all fatigue-related crashes involve drivers under 25. >> it's a hugeproblem. and it's probably bigger now

than it was in the past. >> reporter: tom balkin is president of the national sleep foundation. he says adolescents go through changes in their circadian rhythms that make it nearly impossib for them to fall asleep before 11:00 p.m. combine thatith early-morning classes, after-school jobs, and late-night sociazing, and it's easy to see why teens are chronically sleep deprived. >> every student needs 8 1/2 to 9 1/# hours of sleep. virtually none of that get that. in fact, they average six hours of sleeper night. >> reporter: so how can fatigue affectheir driving? >> may i help you? >> reporter: tfind out, we set up an unscientif experiment with three "today" show interns, patrick, meredith and bryant, all college student who habitually drive after not much sleep. >> last summer i was driving tired almost every day. >> when it's finals season, there's no sleep. that's when the drowsy driving starts to kick in. >> reporter: for our experiment, we kept our kids up for an

entire night. no naps orcaffeine. experts told us that would simulate the level of fatigue students typically suffer after a week of insufficient sleep. >> you don't want to hit the cones. >> reporter: then we brought them here to the driving school in connecticut where, with safety instrucrs by their side, we put them through t road tests, a tight, twisty loop and anmergency lane change. >> we're testing today their ability to instantaneously react to an unexpected situation. >> reporter: to hit any cones would be the equivalent of a crash in the real world. thday before all three had driven these courses wide awake and aced them. >> i haven't hit any cones, and i think it's not that hard. >> i feel confident. once you g the hang of it, it wasn't that bad. >> reporter: but watch the difference when they're drowsy. our kids swerved wildly through turns.

hitting ne after cone after cone. >> i that had been a rl. world situation, he would have had a pretty violent crash. >> reporter: inside the car you'd never know it. even as they crash, our drowsy students remain slack-jawed and dazed. patrick clearly is giddy. he almost seems drunk. >> in many ways driving drowsy is very much like driving drunk. >> reporter: we showed the video to our sleep expert. he says drowsiness like alcohol can severely impair a driver's reflexes, dgment and awareness. should parents be as worried about kids driving when they're too tired as they are about them texting while driving or driving drunk? >> absolutely. >> reporter: especially, he says, on long, boring roads like the one where rusty crashed. so we also tested our kids on this monotonous two-mile track. each driving it for half an hour. >> at first i thought i did okay. you know, i thought i was in control.

>> reporter: but their dead stares tell a different story. balkin says these are signs of a dangerous condition called microsleep where your eyes stay open, but yo brain is falling asleep. >> and this is the kind of situation where anything unexpected actually could throw them. >> reporter: like ese surprise cones. we put them up on our kids' final lap to simulate a stopped car or a person unexpectedly in their th. before the tests, we made sure an alert driver could easily stop in time. but watch our drowsy kids. >> whoa! >> reporter: they're so disoriented, they barely hit the brakes. >> okay. that was fun. i just killed somebody, didn't i? >> reporter: imagine if that ne had been someone's pet or child. >> after i sat there for a minute and realized what i did, that's a tough pill to swallow. >> that was an eye-opener because that thing that you never kw is going to happen that will just come out of

nowhere, that's what you have to be prepared for. and if you're tired, you might not be. >> reporter: a realization that came too late for ruy burris. >> when you're tired, stop. don't push it. because even though you've only got a mile left, you could be throwing your entire life away. trying to drive one more mile. >> reporter: now, sleep experts say parents should treat drowsy driving just like drunk driving. tell your k if he's tired to call you. you'll come pick him up, or if he gets tired on a long drive, tell him to pull off the road, get some caffeine, and take a 20-minute nap. that should help revive him. meredith? >> lisa myers, thank you very much. and still ahead, where are we today? we'll see if you can guess where o at liv picture is coming t us fr. but first, these messages.

still ahead, will it work? we're going to take a closer look at the reasons why "american idol" picked ellen degeneres to replace paula abdul as the fourth judge. >> because she's funny and she's keable and she's smart. among many others.

7:56 is your time. 65 degrees. gray skies overhead. good morning. in the news, an investigation is underway after a man was found dead in a burning çhome. it happened around 10:00 last night in the brian's road area of charles county. aftenew yorki after knocking down the intense flames, firefighters found a body inside. no word on who the victim might be or what started the fire. one firefighter suffered minor injuries. metro board will be meeting

to discuss the agencies's budget. among the items are safety improvements recommended by the ntsb, a possible fair hike is expected to be di wetal bil we will take a break a

widely scattered light showers. we are getting one shower here

in arlington. elsewhere, in southern maryland as well as on the eastern shore, there are a few other widely scattered showers this morning. it is cool. temperatures only in the lowç d mid 60s. higher around the bay where there is a gale warning today. we will have a likelihood of afternoon and evening rain. highs in the 70s. how is the traffic? we are over the scene of the tractor-trailer fire 95 southbound. we have dumb of lanes getting by. the cap burned out causing additional issues. top side of the beltway, lanes open. heavy from college park to silver spring. college life isn't complete withoutç pizza. some local businesses are battling it outor the

8:00 now on this thursday morning, september 10th, 2009. have stepped outside to say hello to everyone who got up early to start their morning with us here on rockefeller plaza. i'm meredith vieira and matt lauer and al roker. just ahead this hf hour, the "idol" news that has everyone talking. a big surprise, ellen degeneres will be the new judge replacing paula abdul. the question is, will it work?

we'll have more on that in just a moment. she's actually announcing that today on her show. >> staed out now. >> the cat's out of the bag. also we'll talk about a new movement called the fat acceptance movie. have you heard of this? >> no. >> the idea is you accept your body no matter how big you are. some people say this is positive,reat f your self-image. others say this is dangerous, that it will actually be a cop-out for people to remain overweight. we'll get into at. firse he mavaderas have made their way to a new secre location. now it'sime to guess "where are we today?" take a look. >> oh, come on. >> with raspberries. >> that's right. that's berry, berry confusing. anybody recognize that? e that's not enough il.wmaishethl maybe this will help. take a look. ♪is

you think you know? >> michelle obama's garden? >> i don't know. >> or is that too big? >> if you think you know the answer, head to todayshow.com, make your guess. and while you're there, you can enter for a chance to win a $25,000 sweepstakes. you're on television. >> actually, you're not supposed to play the game. >> yeah. not you. >> our viewers are. >> oh, i thought we were supposed to make guesses. >> yeah, we can make guesses. if you don't know, you can phone a friend. >> my other gig. >> oh, right, right. i forgot. anyway, let's go inside to ann. >> okay. thank you so much. good morning once again, everybody. and in the news, vice president joe biden said on this broadcast this morning, quote, i believe

we'll have a health care bill by thanksgiving. in his address to congress last night, the president said it is time tstop bickering and act and that the $900 billion price tag over ten years would not add to the deficit because of the savings. he also promised to protect medicare and again called for the much debated public option. later in the evening the white hous accepted the apology of republican congressman joe wilson who heckled the president, shouting, "you lie!" during the speech. police in mexico are calling the bolivian man who hijacked a plane on wednesday a religious extremist. the air mexico flight which had americans on board was traveling from cancun to mexico city when the man claimed he had bomb. police stormed the plane and arrested him. no one was harmed a newly released photograph of the imprisoned mastermind of the 9/11 attacks, khalid shaikh mohammed, shows him leaner and with a long beard, in fact, looking a lot like osama bin laden. khalid shaikh mohammed has been in custo in u.s. custody for

six years. passengers and crew members from the united flight 93 were honored on capitol hill on wednesday. family members were there for the unveiling. flight 93 crashed eight years ago on 9/11 as passengers struggled with hijackers. and now here's brian williams with what's coming up tonight on "nbc nightly news." hey, brian. >> hey, ann, goo morning and thanks. coming up tonight, in emergencies there are first responders. but a lot of them now are being called upon to perform as kind of emergency rooms. for chest pains, asthma, help is needed, but how can they fight on both fronts? the story tonight when we see u fo r"nightly news." > rnow, ann backo w,yo i8: it04.no time for the wea04er a athl.nd a >> "where are we today" is brought to you by comfort suites and the other fine choice hotels. >> and we've got nurses here. where you ys from? >> we're from minnesota. we came for a cancer nursing

conference. >> well, you do god's work. thanks so much. >> thank you. >> nice to see you. all right. let's check your weather, see what's happening. allentown, pa, nbc 10, afternoon l aktse ahe t keta a look at these afternoon temperatures. well, feels like a touch of fall here in the northeast, mid-atlantic states going to be breezy and chilly. temperatures 60 and 70s. but awfully toasty in the southwest. temperatures welover 100. rip currents along the northeast coast. slight risk of storms in the northern plains. sunshine up and down the west coast. and we've got roker's rockettes! you guys do a kick line? ófófo#ófófófófófóf partly to mostly cloudy now. it's a cool morning with a blustery wind out of the east. on radar, a few spreengsls in arlington and farther to the south in charles county. elsewhere, we are getting other showers in the western partç o the northern neck as well as on the eastern shore where this

morning there is a rather stiff wind coming in off of the atlantic. elsewhere, no precipitation at this tim it is a cool morning. we are only in the 60s. what's the flag? >> from the yacht club. >> all right. there you go. matt? al, thanks very much. when we come back, we'll talk abou fat the fat acceptance movement. is it okay to accept your body even if you're technically obese? we'll t into that right afte these messages. that's why purina fit & trim is specially formulated... with hh-quality protein, including delicious real chicken, to help him maintain lean muscle and a healthy weight, so he can make the most of every day. long live your buddy. long li your dog. purina fit & trim.

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for joint pain. for joint pain. for the sunnyd book spree. 20 upc labels equal 20 free books foyor classroom. or, sunnyd will donate to the kids in need foundation. learn more about making classrooms sunnier for kids at sunnyd.com. back at 8:10 with more on the surprise announcemen that ellen degeneres is joining the judges' panel on "american idol." she broke the news during a taping of her daytime talk show. take a look. >> all right. well, i have a big announcement to make. and no one kws this. and i just finally got the okay just moments ago to announce this to you today. oh, god!

i am going to be theew judge on "american idol." [ cheers and applause ] i mean, it's just been so hard to keep it a secret. and we just finally just got the okay. and i'm so excited. it's going to be so much f. i don't -- i don't know how it happened myself, but, you know, i just -- i have not missed one episode of that show. i've watched every single thing. i love everything about it. and i love music, as you know. and so this is going tbe -- and hopefully i'm the people's point of view. >> and with us now, a staff writer for "newsweek," and jessica shaw, senior writer for "entertainment weekly." good morning to you both. were you guys as shocked as i was, for it to come as a complete surprise for me? >> i was. ellen doesn't really have music experice. you don't think of her as someone on "american idol." >> does tha matter? >> i think it does. everyone on the show has some

sort ofusical connection. it's safe. they'll like her. >> she's not exactly what producers wanted. they wanted people to stop talking about paa. they didn't want any more speculation about is paula coming back? is the show going to be the same? now everyone's talking about elopinion. how's she going to be? is she going to be nice? they want that conversation to be going on. >> what do you think the dynamic will be lik as ellen part of that panel? >> she's nice. she's going to be the nice one. >> she's going to be paula without actually being paula. she's going to play with simon and sort of work in her jokes and probably be mean so simon. she was a stand-up comedienne, after all. i think she's going to be the nice one, the sweet one. >> buthe won't be like paula as has been pointed out before. she's not loopy. and i sort of like the loopiness. you don't know what toexpect. that was paula abdul. you never knew from one show to another. you won't have that dynamic. and also that tension betwe simon and paula, and some of it

was sexual. do they like eh other? obviously you won't have that other. >> she's funny intentionally unlike paula. ellen has a command of the english language which is more than you can say for more than one-half o that panel. >> and paula had reports she woul't show up to work on time and there were episodes where it looked likehe was falling asleep in her chair. i think producers liked the unpredictability. >> is there a down side to this choice? >> i don't see one. she has so many fans. you walk around and people say, oh, ellen's taking over. oh, i love her. people love her. you can't not love her. she's america's 51-year-old lesbian sweetheart. >> some insiders are saying her audience skews older than this audience. they're two different age groups that are watching. >> a little bit, but i've done some reporting with middle-school kids, and middle-school kids love ellen. they have a high awareness for ellen. they watch her show after school.

i think she's going to speak to the demogrhic. i think they're really going to like her. the other down side might be that they don't really need four judges now because ellen's such a big star. ellen, simon, randy. >> could she be in trouble? i don't think so. >> she's signed her contract. she has nothing to worry about. >> another year. we'll see if she sticks around another two years. >> i'm going to wait to see what happens because i've been punk'd by ellen on the air. she pulled a fast one on me, so who knows? >> watch ou simon cowell. >> exactly. thank you so much. and up next, the newat f acceptance movement is bigger actually better? we're going to get into that right after this. if saving money happened as automatically as everything else? at bank of america, it practically does. use the bankamericard power rewards visa credit card and earn rewards likcash back with every purchase. ch you can put into savings. alre c rdcaan dityou card balance. savings. it's one of the many ways we make saving money in tough times a whole lot easier.

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in a very small number of people. some of the most common side effects of lyrica are dizziness, sleepiness, weight gain and swelling of hands, legs, and feet. do notrink alcohol while taking lyrica. you should not drive or operate machinery until you know how lyrica affects you. could your pain be caused by fibromyalgia? ask your doctor about lyrica today. oday's health is brought to you by lyrica. >> this morning on "today's health," we're talking about something called the fat acceptance movement. people have to prove that you can live healthy, fit lives even if you're carrying some extra weight. here's nbc's janet schenley. >> reporter:ou can't mois tiss message. from airbrushing kelly clarkson into a size slim --

>> hey, listen, girl, i'm fat. >> reporter: to kirstie and valerie documenting struggles with their weight. >> you've lost 111 pounds. >> reporter: women who drop the weight or appr to are celebrating as the darlings of diet worthy of worship. but not everyone subscribes to the theory that life is best lived hungry and constantly inside the gym. enter what's been called the fat acceptance movement. ♪ come on vogue >> reporter: a movementhose patrons say just might be the plus-size model emme. >> i used to weigh myself every day. and i used to judge myself every day. and i threw out my scale. out! >> reporter: but 40-something cover girl works out four times a week a watches what she eats. according to bmi charts, she's medically es in her own eyes, she's perfect. >> you need to stop stressing out over all this craziness, and we need to take ourselves back and say, i love what i have! there's no way i could be 5'2" and 100 pounds. >> what kind of woman are you

attracted to? >> reporter: now hosting a dating show with plus-size participants, emme believes the scales are being tipped in favor of more women happily accepting their size. >> i think this fat acceptance movement is often a way to give people an excuse to just be okay with weight gain. >> reporter: doctors don't like it, calling it a cop-out. >> the fat acceptance issue from a social standpoint is one thing, and the fat acceptance issue from a physical health standpoint is another. >> i think we have to accept what we are and make our body shape the best tt it can be. >> reporter: weight watching. as some women say, the perfect body is the skin they're in. >> o! >> rorter: for "today," janet schenley and nbc news, colton, new ey. >> kate daly is the health and lifestyles editor for newsweek.com and dr. nancy sniderson is our chief medical editor. what do you think? >> well, i think it's sort of bogus. i don't think there's a fat acceptance issue.

we're still airbrushing covers. the study last week, doctors don't like taking care of obese people. if you really want to test this, think about the last te you were on an airplane and you saw an obese person walking down the aisle, and did you secretly think -- i don't think it's fair. >> what you're saying is you don't think it's here yet, but should there be a fat acceptance movement? >> absolutely. over the past ten years is when the obesity rhetoric has been kicking up and we've been saying people need to lose weight, fat people are disgusting, and people keep getting fatter. so obviously trying to shame people into getting thin and rolling your eyes when a fat person walks onto an airplane isn't worth it. >> i think that's a different question. should we be more tolerant? absolutely. can larger people be more healthy? absolutely. >> technically speaking, if someon is clinically obese, and emme is clinically or technically obese, can you be obese and healthy? >> yes. >> absolutely. >> yeah. there have been studies that show that people who are a

little bit overweight actually live a little longer. we're doing a gallery on newsweek.com later today of people who are fit and fat, of people who you would look on the street and say, oh, my god, that person is so fat. doing yoga, climbing mountains. i mean, the way you look in your jeans is not a good measure of how healthy you are. >> terestingly, you may have if you have a little bitf extra fat on yourbody, have less of an issue with osteoporosis, your brain may function better later in life, and the bmi may not be an end all, perhaps the ratio is waist and hips. >> when it comes down to it, it's a question of degree. it is not healthy, we know, to be too obese. >> it's a slippery slope. >> but also not insist people be too skinny. >> and w don't do moderate very well. >> right, we don't do moderate very well. and i would argue we don't have an obesity crisis in america, we have an inactivity crisis. so a lot of people who are thin who are average-looking size who eat poorly and who need to get up and move. and there are a lot of fat people who do. focusing on how we look ignores

a lot of the larger health is e issues. >> let me go to the medical side. you can handle that for us. is it a fear, and doctors have weighed in on this, that some people might use a fat acceptance movement asome kind of a cop-out? >> look, you can't deny the issue that we have diabetes in epidemic proincorporations. we areying from heart disease, cancer, stroke, all of these things can be related back to obesity in this country, so we have to sort of get real. it's about acceptingour body and imperfections being five or ten pounds overweight, that's fine. if you're 50 to 75 pounds, there are medical conditions that kick in. >> i disagree. >> how dare you? >> with dr. nancy? >> and forgive me, but i tnk the fat acceptance movement is the opposite of giving up. if you're a 225-pound woman and the idea is to be a size 4, you think how can i get there? why should i entry? but if the idea is let's get out, find foods you like and

activities you like to do, that woman will be more encouraged to do it. by losing 10% of her weight, 12 pounds -- >> you're talking about losing something. you're not talking about being 5'4" and 225 pounds. >> that's not the last note. >> kate daly, i hope you've enjoyed your last appearance on the "today" show. dr. nancy snyderman. >> come on my show. we're going to switch gears and get to "today's searchor the lost symbol." dan brown's new book ces out on tuesday. and leading up to its release, we're letting you guess where some key moments in that story will unfold. here's clue number two. >> reporter: this tropical rain forest is home to more than 4,000 living species. among them, 26,000 plants. but more surprising than its volume or even its beauty is the fact that it can be found in the shadow of one of the most werful buiin in the world. this is another location dan brown came to while researching his latest book.

so what role could this place possibly play in a novel? what mystery could the author have woven into this tropical paradise? i can't tell you, obviously, but perhaps you can figure it out for yourself. as a clue, it's said that one of the most beloved plants here comes with a legend. d according to that legend, if a traveler stands directly in front of that plant and makes a wish in good spirit, the wish will definitely come true. so what plant is it? and where am i? >> hmm. >> and what are you wishing for? >> that's right. >> you haven't been away from the show, so you couldn't have gone that far. >> you follow me on weekends? do you know where i am? >> she's got a gps on you. >> yeah? >> botanical gardens. >> that looked like a zoo, yeah, botanical gaens. >> a zoo? >> yeah. >> you were in meredith's backyard. >> on the lower 40. >> why do you have to go there? why do you have to do that? >> anyway, don't guess because you'll give it away. okay, guess.

>> garden. >> give us a clue. >> i say the bronx. >> in the bronx? >> yeah. why? you're knocking the bronx? >> no, not at all. >> this took an ugly

partly to mostly crowdy. chance of afternoon rain. we are jammed coming in from maryland. elsewhere, wilson bridge, no

worrs. pretty good along i-270 southbound through germantown on in. on 66 headed for the beltway. "news 4 at 5:00," college life isn't complete without pizza. local pizza makers are battling for bragging rights as the best on

we're backnow, 8:30 on a thursday morning. 10th day of september, 2009. out on the plaza with some people enjoying fall-lik temperatures. it feels like -- oh, let me think -- not tennis weather.

>> no. >> football weather. >> yes! >> coincidental because, al, why? explain that. >> tonight, of course, it's the debut of nfl football on nbc. >> and the teams playing would be? >> tennessee titans taking on the pittsburgh steelers. in pittsburgh. in steel town. >> so where that game is being played on television? >> nbc in high definition at 8:00 p.m. >> all right. cool. al, thank you. i'm matt lauer along with meredith vieira. al roker, sports announcer and ann curry. what else is happening? >> pregame concert featuring tim mcgraw and the black eyed peas. and just ahead to get you ready for the big game, we'll introduce you to a special member of steeler nation who has taught the team a thing or two about strength and perseverance. you know what? she is just 11 years old. we'll have her touching story coming up. also ahead,e've got the best travel deals for fall. it's not too late to get a little travel in. and you watch him on television, you think these things are

amazing. they do such amazing things. which infomercialroducts are actually worth the money? there we are. we all wore those snuggies. we're going to find out a little bit later on. okay. but first -- >> mayors from all across the country are gathering in new york city today to announce a special initiative. we are joined right now, i'm pleased to say that we are, by new york's mayor, mike oomberg, los angeles mayor annio villaraigosa, and michelle tractenberg, star of "mer "mercy." good morning to all of you. mayor blmberg, since you're the host, talk about this new initiative. i know it's called cities of service. what's it about? >> it's about getting volunteers to match with organizations that need volunteers to help our communities. government can't do everything. a lot of people want to help. they just don't know how to get involved. a lot of organizations need the help, and they don't know where to go. and so what the mayors are trying to do is to put together

something that matches skills with needs that lets us each do what the president has asked us to do, be a nation of volunteers, and what the edward kennedy serve america that congress passed asked us to do, get involved, see if you can't make a difference rather than just talking about it. >> michelle, let me bring you in because the entertainment industry is getting involved as well with something called "i participate." what is that about? >> michelle? >> oh, that's me. i participate, dot.org is a site where people in their community can go and find out about different ways they can participate. it's a direct link. so especially for myself, for young people in the community, they can -- you know, they have an easy access to a site where they can find out within their own educational system, community, in their home and their lives how they can participate by volunteering. i think the most important point is that it's participation. it's a group effort. but you can do one thing yourself, and it will change your community. >> mayor villaraigosa, of course --

>> so and -- >> i'm sorry. you're in los angeles, mayor. you're steeped in the entertainment industry. how do just average citizens get involved? >> well, actually, i'm in new york right now. i ju got here from los angeles. but i can tell you that we've been getting pple involved f the last four years. 120,000 people have been engaged in service. people from woodland hills in the valley to watts from the west side to the east side who have engaged in everything from feeding the homeless to planting trees, community gardens, painting out graffiti, restoring homes that are dilapidated. we're getting people involved an making government work by putting people to work. and it's a great way to reall make our democracy come to life. >> well, you know, it's really true that government can't do it all. and i think this idea of being able to do this kind of work really transforms us and also gives us an example to our

children. so thank you so much, all of you. >> also the number of people volunteering has not gone up over the years. so this is a way to jp start the participation. >> so let us say mayor b., mayor v. and michelle, thank you very much for joining us. good luck with the program okay? >> thank you. >> thank y very much. >> thank you. >> mr. r., how about a check of the weather? >> arr! let's take a look as far as today's ncerned. the weekend, i should say, we're looking at heavy rain throughout texas which is good news because they've had a drought. western half looking good. showers in the rtheast. sunday, more mild weather in the northeast. rain moves up io the mississioçççççç some welcome mood enhancing sunshine has broken out here in morning. just to our south, cloudy. showers, the lower part of the eastern shore. these are heading to the west. will likely be moving across the bay and heading toward southern maryland over the next half hour or so. elsewhere, no otherç

precipitation. we have temperatures cool in the low and mid 60s. it's 65 in washington now. highs today only that's a cutie right there. what a good-looking little guy. now let's go down to another cute guy, mr. willie scott. how are you, sir? >> i'm a good man. >> yes, you are. >> god bless you, alrt. you are truly the best prince. you're a prince, prince albert. 100th anniversary up in new jersey. they're all celebrating today. and the entire school is watching the "today" show because we're saluting their school. franklin school, happy birthday. elfiewod nd, jersey. how sweet as we tur the bofook life nde.oothut thane. ihedsre td ires sarah epps. newberry, sou carolina, 108 years old, head over heels in love wh ucucveknorris. ho

boll he,weoere ts g my we, there goes myncra fes harncraes st.roup is tt right? nolie kalbilliis. .e' she's 100 years old. teaches at illinois university and is known for being the first swimming coach, and he wrohe tsh university fight .so ph stevens, stuyvesent falls, new york. luvonteer and bl ringer f they tab.alk alou they talk about all the things tht an cwio dth can do wionhe the government, turn it oreyo the salvation arste .be st a, id setwe ida celender, is that right? and she's from scottsdale, arizona. secret to longevi is eginat healthy, dancing all aightnd enjoys pying brid. awutbo that? an james frame. xbduur y, 100.ury, mass,

exercises at the gym six days a week and stays in good shape. dixie monk. san rafael, califofo.ia 100 years old. sha. volunteered for 20 years a a puppy socializer. for guide dogs. raise them as they're little and teach them right. that all. matt is back in new york, and he does good deeds. >> willard, nice to see you. thank you very much. when we come back, a touching story to get you ready for the kickoff of the nfl

the 2009 nfl season kicks off tonight right here on nbc when the defending super bowl champion pittsburgh steelers meet the tennessee titans. and "today" national

correspondent tiki barber is here to introduce you to one special member of steeler nation. hey, good morning, tiki. >> good morning, meredith and thank you. i had the opportunity to meet 11-year-old heather miller. she's a pint-sized fan who has touched the heart of these steelers ♪ >> reporter: so how long you been a steelers fan? >> my whole life practically. >> really? >> yeah. >> reporter: it's an unlikely friendship built on the love for sport, football. >> our friendship just hit off right away. we both enjoy football. she's atomb to the fullest. >> reporter: 11-year-old heather miller and pittsburgh steelers safety troy polamalu first met while troy was visiting with patients at the children's hospital of pittsburgh. what did you think when you met him? re you excited? >> oh, yeah. i tught he would be more, like, hyper, just more crazy. but his voice is just so soft. he's realnice. >> reporter: but heather and her family were at the hospital for serious reasons. heather's chotherapy treatments. heather was diagnosed last year

with ewing sar coma. what did you think when your mother told you? >> i was just shocked. >> reporter: were you scared? >> yeah, i was really scared. >> reporter: the cancer was initially found on several of heather's ribs on her right side. she underwent chemotherapy and radiation symbolized through her neck lass she calls the beads of courage. >> the yellow ones stand for overnight stays in the hospital, black ones stand for pokes, stars are for surgeries. >> reporter: this was supposed to be heather's last week of eatment. but just a few days ago, the family received devastating news. >> after her last treatment, we felt very confident. at she was done. and ct scan showed a nodule in her right lung. and i feltompletely deflated, and never did i expect to have to tell her that her cancer was back. >> reporter: this beautiful, loving, 11-year-old girl is now gearing up for the fight of her

life. >> we're worried that it might be your tumor coming back. and so we think the best thing to do is to find out for real, and that's going to mean having another surgery. >> reporter: how do you find strength to deal with all of this? this is never easy. >> troy. >> heather is a rock. how are you doing? >> good. how are you? >> enjoying practice? >> yeah. >> reporter: troy is with heather every step of the way, providing support and comfort when needed. >> he's one of the angels god's put in our path. he's done things for her that my husband and i can't do. >> reporter: even after winning the super bowl this past february, his thoughts were not only on the game but also with heather. >> one of t first things he did was write u. >> yeah. >> reporter: how did that make you fe? >> that made me feel real good because during the super bowl, i had emergency surgery. so i was sort of out of it and not really watching the super bowl. it was nice to know tt he texted me after. >> reporter: and when he learned about her upcoming surgery, troy and his steeler teammates invited heathernd her family to practice to watch them prepare for the first game of the season.

>> how you doing, girl? give me a hug. >> reporter: heather is part of the team. and her presence has made a huge impact on e players. she said she wanted to meet you because troy said you were a big teddy bear. is that true? >> most people are intimidated by big guys, man. but, you know, there's a soft place in my heart for her. and it's just ne to see her smile every day. >> reporter: and their number one fan is about to get the surprise of her life. >> i'd like to invite you and your family to the game this week against the tennessee titans. >> thank you. >> reporter: tonight heather will be front and center cheering the steelers on. >> you remember how to break it down? >> yeah. first i need a lift by casey and troy. >> reporter: the bond has been created between heather and this team in many ways can be viewed as a blessing, a rinder that through friendship, determination and hope, all things are possible. >> steelers on three. >> steelers on three. one, tw three! >> steelers! >> heather has sgery this

friday after she goes to the steelers game tomorrow -- actually tonight. one other thing that heather loves is frogs. she gave me this little bracelet that says "f-r-o-g," a it ans fully rely on god with a little frog and then her name, heather. so i'm wearing it in solidarity and i'm thinking about you, heather, and good luck in your surgery, as i'm sure everybody at the steeler nation is as well. >> absolutely. with her on their side, they're going to do great. >> absolutely. >> thank you so much, tiki. it was a beautiful piece. >> you're very welcome. >> and a reminder, nfl kickoff special tonight here on nbc. coverage begins at 8:00 p.m. eastern with a pregame special featuring tim mcgraw and the black eyed peas followed by the first game othe season, the spl bowl champion pittsburgh steelers and heather host the tennessee titans. up next,

ramble on ♪

we're back at 8:47, and this morning on "today's travel," we're talking about some great fall deals. the summer season has wrapped up and the 408 days a right around the corner. guess what, resorts are slashing prices making now the perfect time to plan a getaway. general nieve shaw brown is seni editor for travelocity. genevie genevieve, good to see you. >> thank you for having me. >> the good news, an inexpensive fallravel season. the bad news, it doesn't go across the board. air fares are still up there, right? >> it's possible air fare will go up when airlines cut capacit this fall. so hotels are where you want to look for the deals. they will have tremendous value this fall and beyond. >> we're talking about something that the travel industry calls shoulder season. so the prices are low. is there any down side to traving in shoulder season? >> not really. the high-season commands the highest prices, low season the lowest. it offers all the great weather of the high seasonithout the crowds and with lower prices. so it's a great time to get away. >> let's get to some of the dpeels you found. you like hilton head island in

south carolina. y? >> i do. it's one of my favorite places in the world. and fall is really its best-kept secret. the weather is still warm without the humidity of summer, fewer crowds, plenty of time to golf, plenty of beach time. >> good for families, too, beuse a lot of rental properties available. >> a lot of rental properties. and the marriott vacation clubs actually has a 25% off deal through mid-november. you can get a two-bedroom vil prices from $156. that's compared to $275 and up during the high season. >> you can get your kids out of school, good place to take the family. we're mostly dealing with overall destinations, but we're going to make an exception for one particular hotel in mexico. the st. regis in punta mita. why do you like this so much? >> this is a great value this fall. it's a five-star super luxurious resort, private butler service, white sand beaches, great accommodations. and midweekates up to 50% off the winter high season rates. even weekend rates about 20% less than what you'll find in the winter high season. >> you're calling mexico your number one international lue. what about swine flu?

do you think people will be worried about that? >> mexico tourism took a hit earlier this year when there was a tral advisory issued for h1. that travel restriction was lifted months ago. there is no health reason to avoid mexico. >> and because deals are good people are booking into higher-end hotels they normally wouldn't be able to afford. why do you like barbados so ch? >> people are a little reluctant to book a fall trip to the caribbean because it is hurricane season but barbados lies in the far eastern caribbean so it's outside the traditional hurricane belt. it's got two really diverse parts of the island, the western part is great for surfing and wind surfing. the eastern great for sunbathing and swimming. >> all right. also you like lake tahoe. the lake tahoe/reno area. >> i do. >> as a goo fall value destination. >> absolutely. fly into reno, spend a few days enjoying the culture and night life. the sands regency has a $29 a night deal and free unlimited drinks f people over 21. >> half r crew just left. okay. >> a lot going on in reno.

nearby the beauty and serenity of lake tahoe where you can go hiking, biking, a great deal at squaw creek. >> bermuda is another one of your choices. what's the weather like there as you get further into fall? does it get a little chilly? >> a little but through september expect temperatures in the low 80s perfect for enjoying pink sand beaches and golf and everything else bermuda has to offer. it's a good fall this fall. there's a promotion, $400 off four-night room stays, hels in every category participating. >> a lot of people when we talk about travel they want to mention the cruise industry. cruise ships. how do you find their values in the fall? >> cruising is a great value in the fall. it includes so much. your accommodations, meals, transportation between ports. it's a really excellent value. but you do have to be wary of the shore excursions, those can add up. royal caribbean has a seven-night eastern caribbean cruise leaving out of port canaveral, orida, calling o the bahamas, st. thomas and st. martin $83 per person per night. >> wow! >> that's an excellent price. >> we've got to watch out for

that flo rider also. we put natalie on that on the freedom of the seas. >> you've got to be careful. >> watch this. you're about to see serious bum bouncing. >> that's why i stayed in the casino. >> exactly. she's still limping, actually. genevieve, thank you so much. >> thank you. >> we appreciate it. up next we're going to hit the disco floor. we're going to show you our

♪ shake your groove thing ♪ yeah yeah ♪ show them how you do it now so busy moving. >> some of us are -- yeah -- have been known like ann to bust a move or two. and some a little better than others. >> that's right. so how would we rate when shaking our groove thing on the disco floor? our friends at jibjab.comad a little fun at our expense. take a look. ♪ ♪ >> see, al and ann, i think, look phenomenal. i look ridiculs. >> i look real good. >> look at those abs.

>> you are buff. >> you had that haircut at one point. >> i did. i absolutely did. >> that's so cool. >> and you had that haircut at one point. >> exactly. >> i'm teasing you. >> and the great thing is, you can do this yourself. >> i d one for christmas with my family one time. it was cute. disco. dancing with the elves or something like that. >> that's a good open for the show. >> that's our new promo. >> ann, the expression on your face. you just have that stare and sultry. >> go to nd yab.com aou y can make up your own "soul train" video. just ahead, the infomercial produc that really work. rst, your local ne and weather.

good morning. i'm joe krebs. a man arrested who side swiped the back of a dunk truck killing a female passenger. the driver ran away. officers say he was arrested in the eastbound lanes a block away. taken in tested for possible dui. metro riders may see an increased police presence at stations. law enforcement officers will be conducting a training exercise on how to respond to terrorist threats. 150 officers will be spread out atç various metro and marc

stations today. it is a planned exercise, not ii s

partly suffern any, breezy and cool in the late 60s. how is traffic, jerry? inner loop had an accident near 236 and avondale. looks like it is gone. the delays reach back most ofç the way, springfield up to 236 and 66. 270, relatively quiet all morning long. no hangups, college park to silver spring in the beltway in either direction. joe? topt on "news 4 at 5:00," college life is not complete without pizza. local pizza

we're now back with more of "today" on this thursday morning, 10th day of september, 2009. ju stop an take a gander at the nice people who have gathered all morning long out on the plaza this morning. we thank them for stopping by. we're thankful for them. by the way, we're going to meet a family in this half hour with a lot to be thankful for. it happened last sunday afternoon. a car came crashing through the wall of their home. it ended up in their baby's bedroom. 8-month-old christopher's crib

was stuck under the car. 20-month-old destiny, 21-month-old destiny, had been taken out of the crib just moments before well, the whole family is here is morning. we're going to find out how they survived that nightmare accident. >> thank goodness, they all look good and happy and healthy. >> wow! unbelievable. and a little bit later on, you guys ever try those energy drinks? >> yeah. >> once in a while. >> do you feel energized? >> no. >> one of the different ways you can catch the swine flu. a lot of claims out there. well, we are going to find out -- separate the myths from truth and how those can impact your health. dr. nancy snyderman is here to set the record straight. all right. then you've all heard the news this morning, een is the new paula. >> i tught you were going to say the new president. >> not quite. not quite that. but that's right. when "american idol" kicks off its new season, season nine, ellen degeneres will be the next judge sitting next to simon, randy and kara. but is the match made in

hollywood a match made in heaven? we'll find out what some people have to say. >> you've already given it your approval. >> i love it. i'm a huge fan. i think she's going to be great. >> i don't watch the show but i know she'd be fantastic. >> she's got your full support. >> i love her! let's go inside. ann's staing by with the headlines. >> thanks a lot, matt. good morning once again, everybody. in the news, president obama is pressing ahead with health care reform. in his address to congress last night, he asked on lawmakers to stop bickering and act and despite the $900 billion price tag the bill would not add to the deficit. meantime, south carolina republican joeilson has apologized for his oburst during the speech when he yelled "you lie!" a bolivian man is in custody in mexico city after police say he briefly hijacked a plane flying from cancun and claimed he had a bomb. he was arrested after police stormed the plane. the man later said he wanted to warn mexico'sresident about an impending earthquake. congress holds more hearings

focusing on the securities and exchange commissn today trying to find out why it did not know about bernie madoff's massive fraud scheme for more than ten years. cientists are stunnedy new images taken by the hubble space telescope. they show galaxies and nebulas revealing sharp colors and brilliant halos of light. and they credit the hubble's new sight to snarts om atlant latla. among them, the boss, bruce springsteen. also, robert deniro. and mel brooks. the awards will be given in december. and rescue crews in australia today use high-technical ras to locate a dog trapped deep inside a cave for four days. ther he is. scooby's family and friends cheered. there they go, when they finally got him out, and apparently there was a lotf tail wagging going on. we'll see that apparently eventually or maybe not at all.

it is ten minutes past the hour. let's go back outsi to matt. >> we love happy endings, ann. thank u very much. mr. roker's got a check of the weather. >> that's right, we do. you know, it's been a long time since we've had a good pair of lederhosen on the plaza. what's your name? >> maximilian. >> you're from germany. >> sure. >> is there chafing that goes on with that? >> traditional. >> you wear those every day, do you? >> no, not every day. >> wow! that's like a suede wedjie right there. let's check your weather. if it's suede, it's got to be smooth. coasl stortathm eveni.ve w reloeur p.y swllo making its way up the coast being stopped by this big area of high pressu. gales ever to 40-mile-per-hour winds. dangerous rip currents. you see the showers pinwheeling around that low. and bore it's all over by sometime saturday morning, we are talking about up to five inches of rain from baltimore down to salisbury, maryland.???? here is what's happening i

your neck of the woods. we'veç had some morning passing light showers to the south of washington that are now pretty much dissipating. we have a few over the lower eastern shore. those may be moving into southern maryland. it is cool. we are only in the mid 60s around the region. we will stay in the 60s throughout the day. up in the 70s. a likelihood of late afternoon and overnight showers. a that's your latest weather. natalie? >> al, thank you. now to an amazing story of survival on a quiet cul-de-sac in new mexico. two young children escaping with their lives after a car crashed into their bedroom. we're going to talk exclusively with the family in just a moment. but first, take a look how this incredible story unfolded. >> reporter: from the looks of it, it's hard to believe anyone could survive this, especially

because inside, 8-month-old christopher lopez was taking a nap in his crib in a room he shares with his 2-year-old sister, stiny. >> my daughter was in there, took her out maybe ten minutes before the accident. she just woke up from a nap. >> reporter: the car landed on the crib that destiny had just been sleeping in. but 8-month-old christopher was still in his crib. >> i got the door open, and my son was stuck underneath the car under all kinds of wood. and i yanked him out of the room. and then checked him out and then came to check on the driver because she was unconscious in the car still. >> reporter: the driver was taken to the hospital and later released and questioned by police. amazingly, christopher escaped with only minor scrapes, something neighbors and christopher's parents call a miracle. >> there's a cross on the wall. that tells you everything right there. >> i know it was god. it was god who saved him. i thank god. i'm just so happy that he's alive. >> james lopez and claudia are here with their 8-month-old son,

christopher, and 21-month-old daughter, destiny. good morning. soreat to have you guys all here. and good to see you all doing so well, although he's aittle unhappy with us this morning because it's too early, right? >> yeah, it'll red, yep. >> james, take me back to this. this was last sunday afternoon. you hear this loud boom in your house. take me through that moment. what was going through your mind? >> well, as soon as i heard the loud boom, i got thrown across the living room. so i knew somebody had driven through my child's bedroom. >> you knew right away what had happened? >> inew exactly because of the way the parking lot is that's behind our house. so i jped off the ground, and i ran towards the room. and at that time my fiancee was tryingo get int the door -- into t room to check on my son. and she couldn't -- >> she couldn't open the door. >> no, she couldn't open it, so i had to ram it until i cld get in because the car was blocking it. i opened it -- >> what did you see when you opened it? >> a car halfway in my living

room and in the bedroom. everything was -- >> poor baby. >> -- destroyed. >> and he was pinned under the car? >> yes, ma'am. >> tell me what you saw of your so >> all i saw was his head and his arm sticking out from underneath the car stuck in between wood and glass. >> oh, my gosh. >> and everything like that. >> your heart must have been racing. at that moment -- >> i was devastated, yeah. >> at that moment did you think there was a chance your son wasn't alive? >> well, he didn't cry, so i was thinking the worst. >> oh. >> and i was terrified to open that door. as soon as i seen that he was conscious when i opened the door, i just took a deep breath and i pulled him out of the room. >> aww. >> we checked him and i took off running outside of the house because she had tak out our furnace, and the gas line broke. >> so you had the natural gas going, too, on t of this. so you were not only concerned about saving your son's life, but then you're also concerned that there could be an explosion. >> yes. >> and claudia, i knowhat it's so hard for you to talk about

reliving that moment again, but when you went into the bedroom and you saw your son in that condition, how freaked out were you as a parent? >> i was in the next bedroom, when it went boom, i went straight to the living room because i saw it was outside. and i saw the car. the car was in the living room. so i knew right away that it was in his room. so i ran to the door and i tried to get it open. it wouldn't open. he opened it. i seen, as he was pulling him out of the crack of the door, i see this by. i seen that he was okay. >> was he crying at that point? was he awake? >> i thought he was -- i honely thought he was dead. he did not cry. unl he got him out. and he made one little sound. that's when i knew, you know, he was alive. >> and meanwhile, destiny had been sleeping in the crib that got completely crushed. you had woken her up from her nap just ten minutes before this. >> yes, we did. and thank god that we got her

out. she would have been there, and she wouldn't be here with us now. we're just grateful that we were able to get her out as well and that he's alive today. >> and i know that there's a cross that i saw in that pce that is still hanging on the wall unbelievably there where your children were sleeping. do you think this was a miracle, james? >> i believe god has a lot to do with why they're still here. i do. >> we are so glad. i'm sorry, kids. i know it's too early and it's naptime for some of us. >> yeah. yep. >> we are so grateful that you're all doing so well. are you thinking to rebuild your house? do you know what you're going to do yet? >> well, we were renting it so the landlord is doing the insurance. we're going to move into another place as sooas possible. our landlords are reall great. so they're going to move us in as soon as they can. >> well, it's so great to see you all doing well. we're grateful to have you guys.

christophe i'm so sorry. i'm so sorry, sweetheart. morning television is never easy. thank you. >> thank you. thank you. still to come this morning, the truth behind infomercials and e products that really deliver. we're going to tell you more. bu up next, medical myths busted. can you really catch the swine flu from a water fountain? we'll have some of the answers coming up after this. my husband, robert, robert made me come. he dragged me up here. i'm scared. i don't want to take my feet off the platform. hey, this isn't bad! you look down and you're like, ooh that's a lot farther than i thought it was going to be. well that wasn't bad at all, that was fun. it's not ready yet. (announcer) every smucker learns to wait for fruit to reach the peak of perfection to make extra delicious jam.

the reason that i picked alli was because its approved byhe fda, it was safe. it will block 25% of the fat that you eat and keept from being absorbed. that's got to be better for you than something that is absorbed into the system. alli is not only just a pill but it is a total program. 's a way of teaching yourself to eat more healthy. it does force a lifestyle change. (announc) join the millions of people who are losing weight with alli. discover a light yogurt like no other. activilight! delicious, fat free, and above all... the only one that has bifidus regularis and is clinically proven to help regulate your digestive system.

activia light. ♪ activiaaa! on fridays, i have hockey before school, so i take two eggo homestyle waffles and put peanut butter inside. i add a couple ocolate chips whedad's starting the car. there's only one way to eat an eggo -- your way. l'eggo my eggo. of pillsbury cinnamon rolls bring everyone to the table in their sunday best and checked for clogged pipes. if that's not it, we dig by the septic tank and check for leaks. if it's not there, we dig up the leech fields 'til we find the problem average repair cost: six thousand dollars.

monthly maintenance with rid-x? about 6 dollars. (announcer) rid-x uses 100% natural bacteria and enzymes to break down waste, even paper. use rid-x monthly to help keep your septic system operating efficiently between pumpings. this summer, clean your grill with new easy-off barbeque grill cleaner. this morning on "today's health," we get the truth behind all those warnings your mother may have delivered. does reading in the dark really hurt your eyes? can staying in school help you live longer? well, nbc's chief medical editor, dr. nancy snyderman, wrote a book called "medical myths that can kill you and the 101 truths that will save, ebs

tend and improve your life." nancy, good morning. >> hi, ann. >> these are ideas, the five we're going to address today, are ones that i want to know the truth so. and i think a lot of our viewers will as well. for example, especially now in this time we're facing the swine flu, can you get it from the water and water fountain? >> no, you cannot get it from the water. i think people have to really listen carefully to this. we know that this is a respiratory virus. all flu viruses are. you get it because you inhale it or you take a hand that's been contaminated and you touch your face. you can't get it from drinking. this is not like cholera. so if you're going to drink water out of the water fountain, you drink the water that's in the air. you don't put your mouth on the nozzle. i know there are a lot of moms right now who aren't letting their kid go near water fountains. the way you would get a flu virus from a water fountain is if you touch something that's been dirty and then you put that dirty hand to your face. but water is not a way of transmission. >> so it comes back down to washing your hands. the hpv vaccine is only for

girls. i thought it was. >> it has been for girls but yesterday the food and drug administration heard, one of their advisory council y, that not only will there probably be a second vaccine on the market for girls, one on the market right now is from merck, glaxo smith kline may have one, but get ready for the fact that boys ages 9 to 26 may also have this recommendation. why? well, it makes sense. this is a sexually transmitted virus that causes cancer of the cervix. how do girls get the virus? they get it from having sex with boys. so if you inoculate boys and girls before they become sexually active, and that's very important. this is not a pro-sex vaccine, it's an anticancer vaccine, i think you're going to see soon recommendations for girls and boys in their teen years to prevent them from getting the virus when they become sexually active later in life. >> so the question is whether boys will takehe vaccine to help girls. that's an interesting point. and also, i like this one,

reading in dim light will hurt your eyesight. >> because we heard it from our others. this is also another myth. it causes eye strain. it may give you headaches but it doesn't change your vision at all. your vision changes primarily because as we age, the elticity of the eyeball changes, and sometimeseople are just born with poor vision. but reading in dim light really does not affect how well your eyes work. >> i know a lot of people in my family drink energy drinks. >> i know. and they're hogwash. >> what? >> they're hogwash. >> so energy drinks do notive you energy? >> they give you caffeine. so my 23-year-old the oer day, i found six of these little six-hour, eight-hour energy boosts. and then she has insomnia and she wonders why. she might as well have a couple espressos before going to bed. it's a big caffeine hit. what do you need for real energy? you need calories. calories are converted to energy in the body. so even that little bit of sugar that you might get in some of them, it's not enough to sustain you. it might make you fat over time, but really, you're getting a

caffeine boost. so if you are, in fact, your heart's racing, you can't sleep, you're wondering why you have insomnia, you might look at how many of those little energy shots you're picking up at the local store and popping down in the afternoon. >> instead maybe have a banana? >> any carbohydrates especially with fruits will give you good gar and good energy. >> okay. and number five. people with ju a high school education live longer than those who go on to college. >> big myth. education trumps race, socioeconomic status, wealth, you name it. the longer you stay in school, the longer you have a chance to live. because with an education, you learn how to read. you learn how to access the health care system. you learn how t stand up to your doctors and nurses. soeducation, by far, trumps every other risk factor. stay in school. >> every otherisk factor? >> every other risk factor. >> write down. >> remember, education trumps race. for putting you in harm's way. get your education. >> dr. nancy snyderman, thank

you so much. yes, ma'am. and coming up next, she's the "american "american idol" j. we'll give you the scoop on ellen right after this. ♪ there's a reason ♪ for the sunshine sky ♪ there's a reason why i'm feeling so high ♪ ♪ must be the season... announcer you get more power and more space, the world gets fewer smog-forming emissions. the 3rd generation prius. it's harmony between man, nature and machine. you itmake me anher meatloaf ♪ - ♪ no - ♪ forget the mac and cheese ♪ - ♪h no ♪ i want some fun piled on a bun ♪ ♪ i want manwich, please... ♪ make tonight a manwich night. - ♪ i want a manwich, please ♪ - ♪ ahh-ahh-ahh.

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to go for our ride. zyrtec® works fast, so i can love the air™. we know she can dance,ut can she judge? ellen degeneres announced on her show yesterday that she'll join the "american idol" judges panel for season nine, yes, filling the seat vacated by paula abdu ellen says she's always been a fan of the show and that getting this job is a dream come true. >> i just finally got the okay just moments ago to announce this to you today. oh, god! i am going to be the new judge on "american idol." >> reporter: with cheers from her studio audience and a hug from her resident deejay, tony, ellen degeneres first broke the newsednesday during a taping of her daytime talk show that viewers will see today. >> i have not missed one episode of that show. i've watched every single thing. i love everything about it. from "american idol," please

welcome randy jackson. paula abdul. simon cowell. kara dioguardi. >> reporter: over the past few years ellen has talked to all the show's judges. >> it premieres tonight which is so, so great for a lot of us that have just been waiting. we just wait for january. >> reporter: now ellen is officially one of them, replacing paula abdul. >> it's not the obvio choice, but i do think it actually could work. ellen degeneres has all of the charm and sweetness of paula abdul but without the loopiness. >> oh, my god, i thought you sang ice. >> reporter: paula made headlines this summer over a contract dispute reportedly demanding $10 million a year to stay on the show. demands that were not met, paving the way for ellen to join the judges' table. >> watching "idol gives back." >> reporter: this won't be ellen's first time on "idol." she has appeared twice on "idol gives back," a special charity sh benefiting various causes. and just this summer she guest hosted on another fox reality show, "so you think you can dance," even dancing with some of the contestants on her own show.

but one thing tt critics may point to is ellen's lack of music industry experience. something that all previous "idol" judges have had and something ellen herself addresses on her show today. >> i'm n looking at it in a critical way from the music producer's mind. i'm looking at it as a person who's going to buy the music and who's going to relate to that person. so'm hopefully going to be that voice of what we're all doing at home. >> not to worry, by the way, for fans of the "ellen show," she's going to continue to do both jobs at the same time. >> i think she's punking us. >> no, it's the real deal. why would she do that? >> i think at the last minute. >> why would she do that? >> because we're talking about it, that cbehyenonrmedfi.. >> it's been confirmed. >> oh, please. >> by all sources. >> oh, please. >> s's going to be great. >> we'll see. local news inext.

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takes a look outside. 9:26. 65 degrees. high clouds. i do believe i see some blue sky on this thursday, the 10th day of september, 2009. good morning. i'm joe krebs. let's see what the weather will be like today. here is tom kierein. good morning, joe. as we take a look at radar, passing showers south of washington. they have not dissipating. we have a few over the lower eastern shore, one shower to the east of winchester. we h@fe had breaks in the clouds in and out. cloudy this afternoon. a likelihood of late afternoon and overnight showers. some of which could be heavy. over an inch of rain likely by dawn friday. drying out friday afternoon into the weekend. warming up saturday and sunday. joe? tom, thanks very much. we ni> go morng

> good morning. problems on 375. broken down truck. significant delays as you head north from the pentagon. american legion bridge jammed. college life isn't complete without pizza. loca

♪ everyone calls you amazing ♪ i just call you mine ♪ nothing makes sense when you're not here ♪ country music superstar ina mmcbride. we're all used to seeing her as a performer, but she's a mom of three first. and she wants you to spend some quality time with your kids. she's going to be here to tell us why a little bit later. love her voice. >> she's amazing. on a different note, have

either of you ever ordered stuff you've seen on those infomercials? >> i'm a sucker for those infomercials. >> what did you order? >> you know, i've ordered i think in the past like a knife set. you know. >> the ginsu knife. >>t cuts through a tin can. >> i know. although i've been tempted by the chia pets. >> oh. i've got a showtime rotisserie oven. it works great. but we've got a reason for asking that. >> that's right. because if you like to shop straight off your tv like a lot of people, well, the good folks at "good housekeeping" magazine have done the research to find out what products really do what they promise to do. we'll have the results of their "good housekeeping" test in a little bit. also coming up, you know, a lot of parents are going through a lot of emotions sending their kids off to scho. so we've got an idea this morning that might make you feel better. maybe you can think about yourself beginning anew and fun things you may want to bring to work including perhaps origami post-its. anyway, ideas that might make you smile.

we'll have those coming up. >> maybe i could get a transformers backpack. >> a new lunch box. pasta. all you needs 30 minutes or less. you will have yourself a pasta feast in less than a half hour. >> i like that he tries to make so that we don't spend lot of time. because a lot of people don't have time. although on the weekends, we can have that time. >> that's right. >> but on weekdays it's busy. meanwhe, also ahead, an intimate talk with hoda and kathie lee, the bra whisperer will stop by from nursing to sports bras, if you've got a problem, she's got the answer for you. >> what? all right. you've got a check of the weather for us, al. >> meantime, i'm embarrassed for them. but anyway, go ahead. what about the weather? they look beautiful. >> they do. they really do. >> it's just that they're in their bras on national television. >> so am i but that's another story. let's take a look, show you what's going on for the weekend, we've got -- i'm wearing the bro. sunny skies, hot weather in the

western half of the country. we've got wet weather also through -- poor ann. she's just completely mortified. it's okay. >> i'm such an old woman. >> it's all right. >> okay. now.??????????????????????????! # 66 in washington. remaining mostly cloudy into the afternoon hours. a likelihood of passing showers this afternoon late. overnight, some of the showers could be heavy. by dawn on friday, should begin to taper off. by then, over an inch of rain will have that's your latest weather. play the music because football'sack, baby! that's right! it's an nbc football special.

oh, man, this is a big one. we've got a kickoff special for you. it's the tennessee titan taking on the pittsburgh steelers in pittsburgh at heinz stadium. cloudy skies, temperatures in the 60s with light winds. it's a barn burner, baby, tonight on nbc starting at 8:00 p.m. be there! yeah! ann. >> where do you get that voice? >> your spittal. >> and i was looking straight ahead. that's one magic > co>>m coming up next, the infomercial products that are worth the moneright after this. hey mom. i just got your package. great. yea, mom you're the best. i thought you would like it. so, how are your classes, are you enjoying them? (announcer) it's more than just that great peanutaste, choosing jif is a simple way to show someone how much you care.

we can't wait to get you home. i love you mom. i love you too. we'll see you soon. choosey moms, choose jif. to buy raisin bran extra! i'm surprised nobody else is here for the big debut of the almonds. oh, guys, i can see it! they're setting it up right now! is it true? are there really going to be cranberries? yep, i can see the boxes, and there's defitely yogurty clusters in there too! i think this is a 24-hour store. introducing kellogg's® raisin bran extra! with cranberries, almonds and yogurty clusters, it's raisin bran with so much extra. ♪ raisin bran extra! it's a mouthful of awesome! [ announcer ] you ma healthy choices every day-- it's raisin bran with so much oh, max! and you want to do the same for your laughable, lovable dog. [ barks ]

that's why purina fit & trim is specially formulated... with high-quality protein, including decious al chicken, to help him maintain lean muscle and a healthy weight, so he can make the most of every day. long live your buddy. long live your dog. purina fit & trim. g) that won't make me drowsy. children's claritin chewables?! i relieve allergy sympms without making you drowsy... and grape tastes awesome! it's the #1 pediatrician recommended non-drowsy brand. let your kids live claritin clear. for the sunnyd book spree. 20 upc labels equal 20 free books for your classroom.

or, sunnyd will donate to the kids in need foundation. learn re about making classrooms sunnier for kids at sunnyd.com. this morning on "today's consumer," infomercials. what to buy and what to skip. yes, it's easy to be sucked in by the snuggie or other products

like these. you know, because they have those impressive demonstrations and fast-talking pitchmen on late-night tv. but do the products really live up to their claims? for the october issue of "good housekeeping" magazine, the good housekeeping research institute tested 17 infomercial products. and the resul are in. editor in chief rosemary ellis is here to reveal them. rosemary, good morning. >> good morning. >> the good housekeeping research institute, let's talk about how the ratings were given. five being the highest. >> five stars are the highest. >> how are the products tested? >> we did both lab testing and real-people testing to see if things were comfortable, if they really worked. we did taste testing with anything that involved food. so sort of an every way that we can test it, we test it. as you mig imagine -- >> scientists and regular peopl testing it. >> scientists and regular people. you know, a lot of disappointments. >> this time around no five stars. >> no five stars. >> no good housekeeping seal of approval. thresults, first starting off with a pasta and more product. this product costs $19.99 plus

$8.99 for shipping. the pitch claims cooks perfect al dente pasta in your microwave every time. this one did fairly well. four out of five stars. >> right, four out of five stars. all you do is pour water into this pot. and you pour the pasta in. and you stick it in the microwave. and -- >> the pasta goes right in there. >> you mix it all in. you don't have to stir or do anything. you don't even cook it with the lid on it. goes in the microwave. takes a little less time to cook that on a stove top. when it comes out, you snap the lid on, you have this colander. it's an all-in-one dish. it's easy. >> is it al dente? >> firm is al nte. a couple of our taste testers preferred this. >> four out of five.

not a bad deal. i'm wearing the snuggie. as you can see, i'm having a little trouble walking over here. as you know, this infomercial caught on like wildfire. it's $19.95, a blanket with arms and everything else. plus $7.95 for shipping. the pitch is it's the blanket with sleeve it received three out of five stars. what was the dl here? >> it is a blanket with sleeves. >> there's no question. >> even the men as well as women complained the sleeves were way too long. >> do they? >> when we washed it, we found it didn't shrink because it's synthetic fabric. the fan rick on the models we tested was not high quality. so it pills. >> so over time it's going to wear out. >> it will pill and it doesn't feel tha good. the other problem people noted is they couldn't find it up and put it neatly over the arm of their sofa like they could a pretty throw. but it did keep them warm. >> ann from the director of marketing at all-star products the maker released this statement. we appreciate good housekeeping reviewing our snuggie blanket with sleeves and are happy to

hear that the testers enjoyed wearing them. to explain the sleevelength, we design our snuggie product similar to that of a blanket. we want people to be fully covered and cozy, hence the oversized fit. we have widened our products incling a microplush fabric snuggie, that are all created with quality material that stand up. so it sounds like near trying to improve on the product. i can get rid of my snuggie now, right? how about the bender ball? this is a workout ball. it costsetween $9.99 to $12.98 plus shipping. its pitch says it gives you a five -- gives you a workout that's up to 408% more effective than ordinary crunches. but you gave it only 2 1/2 stars out of 5. why is that? >> the words "up to" are very important in this claim. when we researcd their study, they had de one study with a pie measly ten people. but in general, both the real-lifeesters and fitness experts who analyzed this said you're just as we off being on a mat and doing crunches or

maybesing aowel rolled up behind you. plus the really sneaky thing about this that we didn't like at all is that when you buy it, you unwittingly sign up for a ogram that sends you a fitness videotape. >> workouts. >> every other month. $47 a pop. >> so you have to call to cancel it. >> yeah. you don't know where it's coming from. you have to cancel it. it's a big hassle. not our idea of a goo product. >> quickly because i know this is a popular product that everybody talks about, the shamwow, probably one of the most impressive infomercial commercials because they say it can hold 12 times its weight in liquid. this was given 3 1/2 stars. >> it actually held 13 times its weight when we first tested it. as you wash it, it loses ab zoshency. we found on a hard surface, you put it wn, you press it in or pound it in. when it's on a hard surface, use it dry. when it's on a soft surface like carpet, then use it wet. and you can -- well, i don't know, it's so absorbent.

>> we contacted the makers and they didn't have any comment for us. thank you very much. get mo i todayshow.com. next, why let the kids have all the fun? back-to-hool supplies for you even if you're not heading back to school. but first, these messages. bunow i trust my heart to lipitor. when diet and exercise e not enough, adding lipitor may help. unlike some other cholesterol lowering medicions, lipitor is fda approved reduce the risk... of heart attack, stroke, and certain kinds of heart surgeries... if you have several common risk factors... or heart disease. lipitor has been extensively studied... with over 16 years of research. lipitor is not for everyone, including people with liver problems... and women who are nursing, pregnant, or may become pregnant. you ne simple blood tests to check for liver problems. tell your doctor if you are taking other medications, or if you have any muscle pain or weakness. this may be a sign of a rare but serious sideffect.

i learned the hard way. but you may be able to do something. have a heart to heart wi your doctor... about your risk. and about lipitor. thanks. i did it to let the judges know tt my dog is the right choice. i got the idea from general mills big g cereals. they put a white check on the top of every box to let people know that their cereals have healthy whole grain, and they're the right choice... just like buttercup. (announcer) general mls is the only leading cereal company to put healthy whole grain in every box. the choice has never been easier. for whole grain guaranteed, just look for the white check.

for whole grain guaranteed, the soft places we love could be home to thousands of bacteria. but, lysol disinfectant spray can help protect your family because it can also be used on soft surfaces. it kills 99.9% of bacteria, won't stain, and leaves your soft surfaces th a light, fresh scent. lysol. the #1 pediatrician recommended brand. disiis sseoo, l onas this school season, kill bacteria on backpacks and snkers too with lysol. the lotion with a unique formula - effective 24 hours a day lightweight and fast absorbing. turn dry skin into skin that feels great all day. with smoothing essentials. only from eucerin. ♪ you don't have to be a witch either, it's true ♪

♪ you just have to ve a fun, tasty dinner ♪ ♪ and wearing some of that dinner on you. ♪ well, the children are heading back to school, but why should they have all the fun ll onwes?ie, well, danielle of the trend alert website called daily candy has come up with some items that maybe some adults might enjoy stocking up on. danielle, good morning. >> good morning, ann. how are you? >> so you want to give us all the attention because we're feeling kind of many. opey about this? >> rember you had that nervousne nervousness, that anticipation? we wanted to help adults channel that. i figured even if we're going back to the same old job, eve if we get to work at the "today" show or daily candy, why not simplify your life? make it more convenient so that nostalgic feeling can make your life easier. >> so with an idea --

>> and inexpensively. >> we're in this economy, we've got to be careful about not going off the deep end. you thought about these, little tes. >> trade in that boring old briefcas put a spring in your step with a tote from nan keen. this is a great product. it's $48. and you can put everything but the kitchen sink in that. >> these are, like, little wallets? >> this is a business card case. even if it's your mom calling card for a play date or to hold your regular old business cards. >> they're pretty. >> they are made by survivors and it's made by survivors.com. these are projects that give social well-being and skills to survivors of human tragedy and some really terrible stuff. >> that makes you feel good. do something that helps people. >> $10. >> $10? good. >> good taste and a big heart. i have to start pouring this, if you'll excuse me. this is sort of what we call the mood computer. it's going toake a moment. so we can keep taing. it starts -- it's from momastore.org. it's very designee. it says off. if you say i wish my boss could

have this every day, when it's off, do not approach. do not approach. you can see it changing now. once it says "on," you know they have a hot cup of coffee or tea. i think -- >> i need one of those. can i put it on the news desk? so i'm not really ready to give the news until i have that change colors? >> this is all they need. exactly. >> i love that. >> now it's on. okay. >> i love that you know how annoying sticky notes can be? >> yes. >> if i get a message on a sticky noted, i'm, like, whato you people want from me? this is the way you do it. printed on each of these from delight.com is instructions for an origami project. so unless the note says "fire me" or "you're fired," you're going to be just fine. >> well, you might get fired if you spend too much time doing this at your desk. >> use your good judgment. >> exactly. >> for $4, this is a neat way to make the medium a little more interesting. and the message will be great, too. >> now, what's this? >> if you were that kid at school who volunteered to clean the erasers and the chalk boards, this is for you.

whether for your home or office, this makes a good grocery list or o the side of your cub keel. >> you make it yourself? >> it's a chalk board decal. >> look at that. >> look at this. >> look at that. you can put that on your wall if you want even. anywhere. >> exactly. just stick it anywhere. >> thas adorable. i'm grooving on it. we only have a minute left. quickly. >> pencils, and an organized desk. $8 really cool pencil holders. but this pencil project, 500 pencils. they come in colors like mermaid tail and pumpkin pudding. and they're just really arty. and it's a sort of pencil of the month subscription. >> are you suggesting we buy ourselves some new underwear? is that what you're doing? >> that's what back to school is all about, fresh underwear. these are drawers that are do-gooders. they are from pact, wearpact.com. the patterns correspond a cause. so these, the proceeds help save oceans. these benefit literacy projects. >> i like the way you think. good job. good job. and just enough time for this

one. >> i knew you'd love this. it's whiskey-scente shaving gel. >> for men or women? >> you know, it's designed for men, but we found that the women at daily candy found it really compelling and really intoxicating, so to speak. >> it smells like whiskey. >> but really cool, right? you know, shaving your legs or, you know, your husband can share it. and no matter how frantic your morning, you're off to a smoother start. >> danielle, thank you so much. you're always so much fun. >> thank you. still to come this morning, quick pasta dinners that will

this morning on "today's kitchen," hot chef and award winning teacher julian is here to prepare a dish from his new book, "thirty-minute pasta." i love the book. it looks fantastic.

>> this is an incredible one. >> i love this. >> this comes from the ne of the zza. and so it tastes and has the same ingredients as the pizza. tomatoes, oregano and mozzarella. >> fresh tomatoes. >> fresh tomatoes sauteing in olive oil. >> could you cheat and use canned? >> well, you could if you don't really have any fresh tomatoes. but the fresh tomatoes give it a nice fresh flavor. >> i'll turn this down just a little bit. >> oh, that's a good idea. >> and peeling tomatoes. how hard? >> this is ready so i'm going to pull it out here. i'm going to peel the tomatoes with a peeler insteadf putting them in boiling water. >> right. >> and i'm going to show you it's really easy. you just go back and forth with a peeler like th. then it just takes the skin off very easily. even faster than doing it with boiling water method. >> while you're doing this you're boiling your pta so it will be ready as you're cooking. >> that's right. all the recipes in this book can be made in the time it takes to boil the water and cook the

pasta. >> that's amazing. you've got olive oil, you're sauteing your tomatoes. >> you're just giving them a little flavor. you see we're not turning them into a sauce. they're done here. >> that's it? >> that's it. >> you literally poured those into the pan just before we started. >> two minutes. yes. okay. put it here. >> okay. >> and then i'm going to put the pasta in. and then the other two ingredients, the oregano. this is fresh oregano. sort of medium chopped. put that on there. give this a little bit of a toss. you can put the mozzarella in. >> okay. >> and then what we do is you cook the pasta so it's very al denteeaning it's kind of hard. you cover it. >>

our time is 9:56. it looks like the clouds have returned over the nation's capital. in the news today, a man has been arrested after a deadly crash on route 7 inç leesburg. this happened earlier in the westbound lanes. police say a car side swiped the back of a dump truck killing a female passenger. then, police say the driver ran away from the car. officers say he was arrested in the eastbound lanes about a block away trying to hitch hike. he has been taken in to be tested for possible dui charges.

>> metro's board will meet to discuss the agency's budget. among the items are safety improvement recommended by the ntsb. a possible fair hike is expected to be talked about. don't be concerned if you seeç police officers searching metro or marc stations you used to or tomorrow. several law enforcement agencies are taking part in a training exercise to prepare them for any real life emergency. police suggest there is no new intelligence to suggest an attack is being planned. they like to run these drills a few times a year. let's get a check on our forecast. tom? good morning, joe. it certainly has been an unusually cool september morning. we are picking up some showers over the lower part of the bay to the east of st. mary's county. these are heading off to the west. that's going to be with us. we have gale warnings up for the bay and the lower potomac.

gusts to nearly 40 miles an hour. inland, farther away, we will see gusts up to 30 miles an hour. cloudy afternoon, a likelihood of late afternoon and overnight rain could be heavyt times tonight. by tomorrow afternoon, tapering off and ending. dry and warmer. how is the traffic? a light look over the american legion bridge. don't see any road work in place at this hour. 395 northbound, improving news. the brokenç truck we showed yo earlier gone. still backed up but getting better. travel lanes are open. tonight on "news 4 at 5:00," college life certainly is not complete without pizza. some local pizza makers are battling for bragging rights. it is

hi, everybody. it is thursday, september 10th. everybody got through 9/9/09 just fine. >> yes. it is over. there is big news on the 10th day of september. >> i know it. >> we have a new judge for

"american ido". >> not you and i. >> it is a big day for ellen degeneres. >> every day is a big day for ellen. she anounced itn her show. >> i just finally got the okay just moments ago to announce this to you today. i am going to be the new judge on "americ idol." i mean, it has just been so hard to keep it a secret and we just finally got the okay. i'm so excited. it is going be souch fun. >> that means her deal was done and she coulday yes. >> that is a great choice. >> i think it surprised everybody i didn't see her name on the lists. >> she is funny. people like her. >> she will be the nice factor paula brought. >> everyone said she is not the musical chop. if you watch the top o her show, she is in love with music.

she knows what she loves and she loves what is popular. >> she is a huge fan of the show and music and pop culture. she will be funny as all get out. >> and she said she never missed an episode. ever. >> you lie. that is going around. people are yelling you lie at very bad moments. >> what happened last night at the -- in the chamber -- i. it is inexcusable. >> it was rude. you can describe it a million ways. i thought it was such bad manners. look, i think people have a right to disagree. >> that is called america. >> it is called manners. >> there is a way to do it. >> joe wilson, i don't ow if you saw, let's see if you can hear it. >> you lie! >> look at the speaker's face. >> yes. it is upsetting. >> nobody ever heard it in the

halls of congress. you go to britain, you hear it every day. >> they's how they roll. immediately after he issued an apology. he said this evening i let my emotions get the best of me when listening to the president's remarks regarding the coverage of illegal immigrants. while i disagree with the president's statement, my comments we inappropriate. >> the damage is done. it is more of the same of what we have been seeing this summer. >> john mccain was on earlier and matt asked him about the illegal immigrants and do you think they will be covered. mccain says no. >> there is a federal law that says you can't. >> it shows you just how -- okay, obama gets up to speak and you see the dividing line between one and the other. i get it. people were holding up pieces of par. they were holding up their own

health care bills. someone had a sign, i couldn't read it. when you go in with bullets in the gun, you are not open. it seemed like it was one of those things where people knew what they were thinking, they were going to hold up signs. >> hoda, there ar't surprises anymore. you get t speech ahead of time. if anybody is expecting to see any kind of change in what the dialogue has been up until now, already saw what the president was actually going to say. nobody delivers a speech more brilliantly than he does. we saw the speechhe was going to give to the kids the day before. i don't know. the only surprise was his willingness to talkabout tort reform. >> when he was done i felt like he didn't change a lot of minds, but he mig have gotten people in the middle. >> that is who they are trying to get, the many idle ground.

the latest poll is not prising. 52%. >> i think people are afraid. talking about people's health care people freak out. >> huge problem. it has to be fixed. >> can you believe we are talking about this >> you lie? >> you can win dinner with the palins. >> i'm going to have fun with that. >> i know you are. >> you can have dinner with the palins. >> ebay is auctions dinner for five with sarah palin and her husband todd. shis allowed to bring three guests. >> you pay. >> you have to have a background test. >> you pay for sarah palin, todd and her three friend. >> after you get it on ebay. >> it is going to last no longer than four hours. it is up po sarah palin's discrion. >> if you are boring her -- >> out. >> the bid starts at $25,000 and

the proceeds go to ride to recovery. >> that seems steep even for charity. >> $25,000 is a lot. >> it is going to be supremely embarrassing if they don't get a bid for $25,000. you and i, you can come to the show and we'll pick up the tab. >> we drag people off the streets. >> sharing your bed can be bad for your health. >> that's what they say in britain. because with another person next to you it causes sleep disruption. >> you lie! >> this will go on the whole show. if you tried one of those temper-pedic, you can jump, bounce, move around, nothing. >> frank and i are just ships passing in the night, a night long. hi, how are you, have you seen

kath? four and five times both of us. big problems. how are you, sarah? >> hi, sarah. >> what are you 12 years old? >> i have two chihuahuas that sleepith me. >> dogs? >> the thing you are not supposed to do with your dogs. i do it anyway. it is dangerous. alisha wrote in we use our bed for everything but sleeping and i banish him to the other room. my grandparents slept apart. everyone is writing in, we haven't slept together for years. most people agree. they don't sleep together and that is the only way they lasted. >> oh, wow. >> things just aren't what they used to be. >> interesting. >> all right. coming up next, do not let this happen to you. the bra whisperer, we love her, she is going to share some

solutions. we are going to have befores and afrs. the right bra you must buy to look good in your clothes. >> ourrisoners are perking up right about now. after these messages.

it is a staple of our wardrobe yet most women spend most of their lives searching for the right one. >> we are not talking about a man. no. the right bra. susan, the bra whisperer, is the founder of intimacy boutiquing, the bra fitting specialists has all you need to know. good to have you back? >> thank you for having me. >> whats our problem? >> getting a bra too big around. we associate comfort with loosens, if a bra is firm it will lift. if you think like a seesaw, in the back rides up the front will fall down. we are going to make the bra firmer in the back. >> we have before pictures.

they ain't pretty. >> we are going to show pictures in the bra and a shirt covering it. >> we will look at different ages. >> your body changes. >> sports bras, training bras. >> let's start with the 20s. this is a woman with a sports bra on. >> most of us think a full busted gal is fuller figure. we moved here from a 34 to a 28 back width. >> that is fie in a bathing suit but a sports bra you better not jump. >> here is the right sports bra. we have the twins. >> there are super things about this bra. it is supportive. sh is getting each breast supported with a gre underwire. she can jump up and down. you want to show us. go for it.

no breast movement. >> that's good. >> breasts can move u and down six to eight inches. >> i'm not sure we need that but that's the whole point. >> when you are exercising. >> i get it, hoda. >> it prevents damage to the breast tissue. >> gravity, you don't want at. >> you don't have a uni boob. next up we are talking about a nursing bra. the before picture. this is a nursing bra. >> you can see she is falling out of the cup. it is gaping on her. we have a fabulous new sports bra line that is nonunderwire. you shouldn't wear an under wire bra. >> we better herry with this segment these ladies are ready to pop. >> i love you are pregnant in your bra. >> this is a fabulous new line

caed hot milk. is that not a crazy name. cotton lined, nonunder wire, clasp at the top. you can see how pretty it looks under a dress. she can go outon the town and feel sexy even though she is nursing. >> healthy babies to you both. >> next up we have a mommy bra. you stop looking for pretty. u get whatever is in the drawer. >> we are all over the mommy time. a great little push up. both gals have had children and lost firmness. we put them in a great push-up. >> are you guys twins. >> yeah. >> the bra strap can peek through. you have a beautiful purple bra. it goes from "b" to "g" cup. it is a fun, sexy bra for somebody in their 40s. >> is it comfortable? >> yeah.

>> cute. it is a great alternative for a t-shirt bra. when you are wearing a dark color no one will see. a lot of people stay away from lace overlay, but you can see how fun it can be. >> thanks, ladies. next we have a woman -- this is the before look. the petite bra. 30 seconds. >> these gals are in their 50s. >> look at these twins. >> super sweet. >> how adorable. >> never been able to find a bra. she can let it peek througher clothes when she is in her 50s. we have something for wome at every age. bras, sizes. we would love everybody to visit. >> let's get all the ladies to come out. they can't hear us. >> thas to our lovely models and you, susan. >> martina mcbride is in the s s use. hes not singing. she is cooking.

>> hello. >> i knew there was some heat in that kitchen.

admit. you have been waiting for this. clos doors with famed chef curtis stone. >> katie found that curtis was coming to her house. her husband caught her reaction when she found out curtis would

be cooking for her. that is an indication of how wild the night was going to be. they look happy. >> they are hap to see you. >> we had a lot of fun. i went therere to see katie. i realized everything in texas is bigger and a lot hotter. i'm here to see katie henry. ms. henry who is a teacher at the elementary school. i brought flors for the teacher and cookies for the kids. nice healthy ones. >> mrs. henry. >> yes. >> you have a very special visitor. on the way to your classroom. >> ready for this? katie. ms.henry. >> curtis. >> how are you? so nice to meet you. i brought you some flowers.

>> thank you. >> how are you? >> i'm good. >> those are the munchikins. >> they worked on those for you. >> ms. henry, do you have a desk for me? i don't want to disrupt your class. >> we do have a desk for you. >> it has been a while since i sat at one of these. >> good job. what do we do for lillian. >> whoo whoo. >> what doeshat mean? >> good job. >> it is a modern day clap? >> yeah. >> i'm learning. >> okay, boys and girls, it is time for lunch. >> patrick, what do you recommed, buddy. now find somewhere to sit.

>> here. >> ms. henry. >> curtis. >> i have had so much fun with you all. is it okay if i steal ms. henry for the rest of the day? i came here to do a special thing for her and her girlfriends. we are going to have a girls night in. callour girlfriends and send them down. after you. you have to tell me what kind of food you like. >> i like all kinds of food. i love anything with cheese. i love cheese. >> we headed to the mozzella company to teach her moreabt cheese. hey, this must be them. >> hi. >> i'm curtis. >> i'm annie. >> i'm beth. >> i'm tammy. >> nice to meet you. let's go. the mozzarella company. after you. do you mind if i teach the girls how to make mozzarella?

>> i love it. you've come to the right place. ♪ cheese, plse, i eat it every day ♪ >> look at these balls of cheese. aren't they great? >> now we immediate to go to the market and get the rest of the groceries. thanks, paula. >> do you like it hot? >> we like it hot. ♪ mama ain't that texas cooking something ♪ >> show me to the kitchen. >> okay, i will. >> cocktail time. >> this is a tequila drink. ladies. >> girls. >> this is so good. >> this is hot. >> whose idea was it to be hot? >> me. >> we are going to make gnoche, potato dumplings.

look at this mozzarella we made. look at all that texture. i'm proud of us. okay. dinner is ready. >> oh, my gosh. >> whoo whoo. >> so it is starting to get dark outside and i reckon it is going to rain. i better hurry. this is our famous gnoche here to the crazy weather of texas and the friendly people. tha youguys. >> thank you. >> maybe we'll serve desert inside. >> okay. run! run! run! >> how is the cheesecake? >> really good. >> i'm so glad. i've had so much fun. >> thank you. >> i'll never leave texas the same. >> thank you. >> nice to meet you. >> i had so much fun and the girls managed to stay dry. almost. can it get any bigger than

texas? i don't know. can it? >> nice. >> that was excellent. that was so much fun. >> they were a blast. >> an entire dinner around cheese. it was delicious. >> i hear there are goodies. every time you leave a place they give you goodies because you are that kind of guy. look what is rolling out. >> a bobblehead. your boots and belt buckle. >> all the cards from the kids her school. >> gorgeous kids. they were so much fun. >> no one can beat curtis at cooking. >> p.s., i like your australian accent. >> you are going to make the gnoche for us? >> are you up for the challenge? >> it didn't look easy. four cheeses, how can we say no? >> we have martina mcbride and she is cooking. we have john mcenroe.

early morning accident that left one person dead. police are trying to figure out why the driver fled the scene. good morning. coming up on news 4 midday, brazil day festival,yot nca l ru expect. news 4 midday begins at 11:00 a.m. we will see you then.

>> we' back on this thursday with "today's kitchen." we are here with martina mcbride. it is nice to see you with a different hat on. >> this is fun. >> first time ever cooking on national television. how do you feel? >> i love it. it is exciting. >> the program you are talking about is cald share the table. explain that to us. >> share the table is a program dedicated to get families to eat

dinner together. >> seems like a simple thing but a lot of people don't. >> it is hard to do, both parents working and kids with difnt . it is a real priority in our house. i grew up eating dinner with my family ando did my husband. we make it a priorityo eat dinner together five, six nights a week. >> it keeps the family together. >> if you buy a certain pasta a dollar will g to the program? >> if you go to sharethetablcom. if youmake a promise, four or five, no distractions at the dipper table. promise is cook healthy food and teach my kids about nutrition. if you make a promise barillo willonate $1 to meals on wheels. >> we are cooking pas. >> this pasta has spinach but your kids don't know they are

eating it. you put the spinach in here and saute it until it is all cooked up. >> you do a lot of spinac because it disappears to this much. >> once you get that ing, what do you do? >> when this is cooked, which it is not, so we'll pretend. then you dump it into the lovely ricotta cheese. >> do you like any ricotta >> any kind. and these eggs. two eggs and basil. >> do you enjoy cooking? >> i love to cook. >> find it soothing? >> i do. and i love making things good and healthy for my family. >> my family is like, mom cooked! they announce it to the

neighborhood. do you cook often? >> yeah. i cook every day. i make it a priori. >> how do you balance, you have a professional career, three children all in different schools. how do you mana to juggle everything? >> some days are better than others. some days i'm good at it, some days terrible. >> just when you think you have it down you blow it. >> make lists. i'm a list maker. >> you stick to it. >> now what do you do? >> you take manicotti. i usually use a small spoon. >> what is this? >> this is the finished stuff. i have never done this before. >> if you heit ltle kids it is fun. >> my 4-year-old loves this dish. >> that is done.

fill up the pan. >> put sauce on the top. >> cook for how long? >> until it is a bubbly and brown. 30 minutes. >> 350 for 30 minutes? >> that's right. >> can i say something, your irst cooking experience on national television was perfect. >> you hit it. >> can we take a test? >> guess who is ming up? >> john mcenroe. maybe we'll get in a big fight if i go, you lie! and see what happens.

it is no secret homelessness is on the rise in this country due to layoffs and home foreclosures. that is changing the fce of the homeless person. >> 24-year-old brianna carp became anotherstatistic. she started writing a blog hoping to be discovered and guess what, she was. egene carroll hired her as an intern. it was such a cool thing for you to do. >> yes, it was. >> welcome, ladies. >> i got a letter from brianna tht said i'm currently homeless living in the walmart parking

lot. >> why does everything happen at walmart? >> that g my attention. her second sentence was i may be insecure but i'm going to rock this. >> you look brufl. >> your clothes came from elle and you colored your ownhair. >> tell her how you did it. >> i joined a gym for $10 and sneak in and col my hair. >> a year and change ago you had a job. >> i was laid off at my job at kelly bluebook as an executive sistant in 2008. i tried to make my apartment payments and couldn't pull it off. >> you got temp work but lost that as well. >> right. it has been on and off. >> most people turn to family and friends for help. >> i do have family. i did a short stint situation. it is unstable and viole

environment so i was forced leave quickly. >> what made you write the e-mail? >> i bombed a job interview and i read her column for nine years. she is awesome and amazing. i shot off an e-mail and four or five months went by and nothing and i found out she published my letter in her column. >> you get so many e-mails. what was it about brianna's letter? >> her voice. she can write. she is cheerful. she is optimistic. a lot of letters are bitter, bitter, bitter, disappointment. oh, tt horrible man, that hideous boss. >> victim. >> victim. that is exactly. brianna was, i'm going to rock this. i'm not down. she just needed a little tiny hand. >> what is the reaction to her blog? mixed? >> mixed. >> some people love her.

she can really write. it is a very energetic voice. some people don't think brianna is homeless enough. you've got a cell phone, dude, you are not homeless. you've got a cell phone. she has taken some criticism. >> how do you deal with that criticism? >> most of the things i have heard directly are positive. which is great. i think people are inclined to be negative or might be in the root that the face of homelessness is middle class people losing the job in the recession. it is an issue that doesn't cross anybody's radar until it hits home. people don't want to think it couldappen to them, too. >> what do you want to happen as a result of this? what would be the next great thing? >> i would love to continue to advocate forhomelessness. i blog, i would love to keep that going. find a long-term career job. i'd love to relocate to upstate

new york, get married, settle down and utilize my administrative assistant talents. >> let's take them one at a time. >> a lot of goals. >> i aim high. >> she has a lot of ex-boyfriends we can introduce you to. >> do not listen to her. >> thank you so much. >> coming up next, we've got john mcenroe in the house. >> you l! >> watch it. watch it.

john mcenroe is the original bad boy of tenni winning a staggering 17 grand slam titl, four u.s. open championships, during his illustrious and colorful career. >> now john broadcasts the very events he used to dominate. he is making his way in homes across america with his new nintendo wii tennis game. >> good to see you? >> you are always too behaved. >> want me toit you over the

head. >> what about connors? he was way worse. >> he is so yesterday. >> the open has been funned. i was bummed about melanie oudin losing. >> i think she ran out of steam. she played tough matches. the other girl has me experience, 19. you see them melting down, the number one player in the world, safina. you talked about the toss. the top players can't serve. maria sharapova hit 24 double faults again oudin. >> what is it that people fall apart? >> it is a head game. >> this locks up, everything feels heavy. you do this show, you two are amazing. you get it done. >> show us what you are doing. this is your wii game. >> this is my first ever video game. this is a special moment.

i have never done any video games. it is grand slam. >> d you ever miss compete something. >> of course. every day. i get out there and talk about it. it is easier to talk about it than to play. i get paid to talk. it is amazing. i get paid extra to curse. >> you used to get fined. >> i'm going to be chris evertt. >> and i'm going to be serena. >> you be way over there so i can ace you. >> who are we? you are on the other side. >> where am i? >> you see serena? >> i'm going to give you time. ready, i'm going to serve. fake you out, deliver it. it's coming. >> serve already. >> that's psyching out. >> get it. >> that was an ace.

>> forget the point. here we go. i'm doing myocking motion. >> give me some room, kath. >> hit it. it is your forehand. we don't have time. you have ago segment with a homeless blogger. here we go. swing. chris ef rhett, you are throwing your racket. >> where am i? >> be ready, serena. here it comes. >> i got it over. it was over the net. >> way, way out. >> say it the way you used to say it. >> you cannot be serious. it wasn't close. >> are you stupid! >> gosh, you guys are pathetic. okay? >> okay.

we've got to go. thanks for coming. >> you looked a lot like federer. it doesn look like you. >> up next, an interesting segment, a couple of people who ang sch

in 2008 go red for women an initiative of the american heart association held a counywide casting call for women overcoming and preventing heart diseases. >> gail was one of thousands who answered the calls. >> 50 pounds overweight and 52, poor eating and a sedentary lifestyle led to elevated triglis rides and cholesterol levels.

>> i was so sick and couldn't do anything. i would lay-in bed because i was so unhealthy. >> gail's daughter pleaded with her mother to make serious changes. >> i was fearful she would have a heart attack or wouldn't be around for me later. >> she came to me and said the way you are going you are not going to be arnd for my children. that really bothered me. because myhildren mean everything to me. >> and gail is here along with roland perkins, a heart attack survivor. and dr. jennifer merez, co-author of the book "heart smart for blackomen and lati latinas." welcome. >> thank you. >> these are the two women chosen. you have remarkable stories. gail you did this for your daughter, something you wouldn't normally do for yourself. >> sometimes you do something

for somebody you love you would never do for yourself >> i couldn't take it anymore she was crying and crying and crying. she was so anxious about what was going to happen to me. i decided at that point it was time to take my health into my own hands. >> we are talking about with you, you don't have a history of heart disease in your family. how did you know you were having issues with your heart? >> i didn't know initially. mine started a week prior to my heart attack. i was planning a party for my sister's 40th birthday. i started experiencing headaches, very bad headaches. >> some tightness in your chest. >> that was the last day i experienced the tightness in my cht. just headaches. >> doctor, that is interesting. when you think heart attack, you picture somebody clutching their chest and falling down. that is not what they know. >> women, definitely, heart disease is the leading killer of women. women have less classic

symptoms. in rolanda's case she has a prelude and knew something was wrong. women can have back pain, fullness in the abdominal area and the chest pain comes on later. the key thing here and i say thank you to gail and rolanda for sharing their stories. gail was a heart attack waiting to happen, an extended waistline, she did everything wrong and she knew she had a family history of heart disease. she didn't translate that in affecting her. >> rolanda was exercing. >> i had already started eating better. >> yes. >> the thing about it is rolanda was stressed. >> stress is the thing. >> stress definitely gets the body in an uproar and damages the lining of the blood vessels. women that are stressed can have heart disease. >> gail, wt changes did you make? we were talking about little

changes. >> i started shopping at the perimeter of the grocery store. eating the live foods not the dead, detonated things in the center. then i started with five minutes of exercise a day. you say anyone can do five minutes. then i went to ten and 15. this past summer i did a 5k. >> we got to run. congratulations. >> it premiers msnbc on the 12th at noon eastern time. bye-bye.